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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Classic Forums Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Women in Business Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Customer Service Advertise With Us Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map Email Story to a Friend April 13, 2007 Soda Mountain Wilderness is among proposals before Congress The proposed Copper-Salmon Wilderness is one of three wilderness areas in Oregon that Congress could act on this year. The others include the 23,000-acre Soda Mountain Wilderness proposal in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument southeast of Ashland and the proposed expansion of the Mount Hood Wilderness. Last year, the Soda Mountain proposal was included in a bill by Oregon Sens. Gordon Smith, a Republican, and Ron Wyden, a Democrat, to expand the Mount Hood Wilderness Area by more than 128,000 acres. The wilderness study area in the monument already has been determined by Congress to be suitable for wilderness designation. The senators also included a compromise agreement to remove cattle grazing from the monument by authorizing the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to permanently retire grazing allotments under an optional buyout agreement with willing ranchers. The legislative grazing lease retirement concept has been endorsed by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Sen. Alan Bates, D-Ashland, Rep. Peter Buckley, D-Ashland, and the Oregon Cattlemen's Association. Supporters hope the bill will be reintroduced this year, said Dave Willis, chairman of the Soda Mountain Wilderness Council, which has been pushing for the wilderness for more than two decades. However, its future is closely tied to proposed grazing buyouts on federal land in the area, he added. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Online Casino Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary