Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in introducing the Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act, legislation to expand the Smith River National Recreation Area by 58,000 acres. This legislation is critical to protect the diverse ecosystems of the rivers, streams, and adjacent lands of the North Fork Smith River watershed and help boost the local fishing and recreation industries that many Californians rely on.
“The expansion of the Smith River to include Oregon’s North Fork watershed will not only enable us to preserve a valuable resource but will help boost economic growth. The river is a natural treasure to Oregon and Northern California and this legislation will benefit future generations, expand recreational opportunities, and protect the rich biodiversity,” said Senator Schiff.
“Renowned for its whitewater creeks, hiking trails, and vital salmon and steelhead populations, the Smith River is a West Coast treasure,” Senator Padilla said. “This effort to expand the Smith River National Recreation Area is crucial to protect our state’s only free-flowing major river system, bolstering the essential fishing and recreation industries in both California and Oregon.”
“When we come together to protect our state’s natural wonders, we can create jobs, protect resources, grow our economy, and make sure future generations of Oregonians can enjoy our incredible public lands,” Senator Merkley said. “I’m grateful to have had the partnership of local leaders, conservationists, and businesses as well as my colleagues, in supporting this legislation expanding the Smith River National Recreation Area — a commonsense win-win for adventurers across the Northwest, those interested in preserving the beautiful places in Oregon, and Southern Oregon’s economy.”
“Expanding the Smith River National Recreation Area would protect one of our state’s most iconic treasures and generate both recreation jobs and economic benefits for Southern Oregon from visitors eager to fish, hunt, camp and hike in the area,” Senator Wyden said. “The fact that this legislation has secured such broad-based support in Oregon reflects its many benefits, and I’m all in to get this bill across the finish line.”
In 1990, Congress enacted legislation to establish the Smith River National Recreation Area (NRA) to protect the watershed, but the boundary of the NRA stopped at the Oregon border, leaving the North Fork of the Smith River and its tributaries unprotected.
The Smith River is home to a rich variety of plants and wildlife—including Coho and Chinook salmon, Coastal Cutthroat trout, the diverse Siskiyou Mountains forests, unique plants found nowhere else on earth, and spectacular redwoods that tower over the lower river banks. The Smith River NRA’s scenic beauty, world-class fisheries, and exceptional water quality attract adventurers who partake in Oregon’s many recreational opportunities.
The NRA expansion would protect 74 miles of scenic rivers, including Baldface Creek, Chrome Creek, and nearby streams and permanently withdraw the land from new mining claims. Additionally, the legislation would task the U.S. Forest Service with the preparation of an updated recreation plan identifying specific plans for the entire National Recreation Area, and produce a special study of streams, fens, wetlands, and potentially unstable and vulnerable aquatic habitat areas.
Full text of the bill is available here.
A map of the proposed expansion can be found by clicking here.
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