Methow Headwaters Protection Act Reintroduced!
Today we cheered the reintroduction of S.566, the Methow Headwaters Protection Act of 2017 by Senators Cantwell and Murray!! This is an important milestone for the Methow Headwaters Campaign. The bill calls for permanent protection of about 340,000 acres of public land in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest from new industrial-scale mine development.
Photo Courtesy of Hannah Dewey
In May of 2016 Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Methow Headwaters Protection Act of 2016 which would protect 340,000 acres of National Forest in the Methow Valley from potential development of a large-scale mine. The legislation, to be considered during the BLMs two year mineral withdrawal, would permanently restrict potential mining related development (including near Flagg Mountain) in order to protect the headwaters of the Methow River and the robust local tourism economy and rural communities in the valley. The re-introduction in the new congress continues the senators’ commitment to ensuring that the waters, working landscapes and recreational economy of the Methow Valley are protected from the impacts of industrial-scale mining. See the press release here.
On December 30th, 2016, In response to overwhelming local support, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officially announced the segregation notice for 340,000 acres in the Methow Headwaters region of Washington State. This essentially protects the Methow from mining for a two-year period in which these lands are off limits to mining interests while the land management agencies evaluate the potential for a 20-year mineral withdrawal for the headwaters region. The Bureau of Land Management is currently accepting public comments on the mineral withdrawal.
Background
Back in October Washington Wild, as a member of the Methow Headwaters Campaign, joined 8 other conservation and recreation organizations on a joint comment letter. The letter urged the U.S. Forest Service to take immediate action upholding their commitment to a mineral withdrawal for the Methow Headwaters region of Washington State. The letter expressed the need to act quickly and protect the Methow from mining interests by officially starting the mineral withdrawal process by the end of the term and prevent facing down another exploratory drilling season on Flagg Mountain.
Nested on the east slope of the North Cascades just outside North Cascades National Park, the Methow Valley and Headwaters region of Washington is one of the state’s most popular destinations. The Methow offers exceptional recreation opportunities, is home to diverse wildlife and is the source of cool, clean waters for famers, residents and fish.
In May of 2016 Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Methow Headwaters Protection Act of 2016 which would protect 340,000 acres of National Forest in the Methow Valley from potential development of a large-scale mine. The legislation, to be considered during the BLMs two year mineral withdrawal, would permanently restrict potential mining related development (including near Flagg Mountain) in order to protect the headwaters of the Methow River and the robust local tourism economy and rural communities in the valley. Read Sen. Murray’s press release.
On December 30th, 2106 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a two-year “timeout” on mining in the Methow Valley.
