By: Marc Sullivan, Vice-Chair, Washington Chapter

Senator Patty Murray and 6th District Representative Derek Kilmer have reintroduced the Wild Olympics Wilderness & Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and told a gathering of supporters, including Sierra Club representatives, that they vow to "get it done". The companion bills in the House and Senate were formally introduced on May 9.

The bill -- the first version of which was introduced in 2012 by Murray and then-6th District Rep. Norm Dicks -- would designate as wilderness 126,500 acres in the Olympic National Forest surrounding Olympic National Park. It would also permanently protect 19 Peninsula rivers and their major tributaries, a total of 464 river miles, as Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Murray and Kilmer announced their intention at an April 23 meeting with about 60 Wild Olympics Coalition members and other bill supporters in Port Hadlock. The Sierra Club -- a founding member of the Wild Olympics Coalition -- was represented by North Olympic Group Chair Bill Volmut and Chapter Vice-Chair Marc Sullivan.

Murray and Kilmer, using identical language about the bill's prospects, both vowed to "get it done". Rep. Kilmer spoke emotionally about what the Olympics meant to him growing up in Port Angeles and about his wish that his daughters have the opportunity to appreciate the mountains, forests and rivers that he had.

Wild Olympics Coalition Chair Connie Gallant emceed the event. She noted that the number of key endorsers -- businesses, faith leaders, conservation groups, elected officials and more -- had now passed 800, in addition to 12,000 individual Peninsula citizens signed on to the Wild Olympics petition. Gallant introduced several endorsers who spoke to the group, including representatives of the Lower Elwha Klallam and Jamestown S'Klallam tribes as well as Mayor Sissi Bruch of Port Angeles and Mayor Erik Larson of Aberdeen. Also in attendance was first-American-on-Everest Jim Whittaker, now a Port Townsend resident.

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Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash