The Columbia River Gorge Commission, which oversees land and resource protections for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, recently announced a 25% decrease in funding.
The Columbia River Gorge Commission, which oversees land and resource protections for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, recently announced a 25% decrease in funding.
THE GORGE — The future of the Columbia River Gorge Commission (CRGC) was put in jeopardy last month when a Washington legislator proposed funding cuts for the organization. Last week, the state of Washington’s 2025-2027 budget was approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is now on the desk and awaiting the signature of Governor Bob Ferguson.
The CRGC announced that they had been awarded funds, but only a portion of their request was granted. According to an April 29 press release, the group will lose approximately 25% — or $1.1 million — of its two-year, $4.4 million operating budget.
“Oregon is required to match Washington’s contribution, Oregon will now have to reduce its funding too,” said the release. “This will lead to staff reductions and cuts to daily operations.”
The CRGC is led by Executive Director Krystyna Wolniakowski and is currently comprised of 13 commissioners along with eight staff members.
“Many people wrote letters and called legislators to show how much they care about the work we do,” said Wolniakowski. “We are thankful for their efforts and will keep doing our best, albeit with fewer resources.”
How did we get here?
The CRGC was established in 1987 and its board of commissioners are appointed by the six Gorge-area counties, the two state governors and the secretary of agriculture. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area spans 292,000 acres and is the nations largest National Scenic Area (NSA). The U.S. Forest Service and the Gorge Commission are the two agencies responsible for protecting the land and resources within the NSA.
On April 1, Washington State Rep. Travis Couture (R-Allyn) proposed an amendment to Washington’s budget that would have slashed approximately $2 million meant for the CRGC. The CRGC is financed through an interstate compact between Oregon and Washington. This agreement requires the two states to match contributions, and Rep. Couture’s proposal would have eliminated funding entirely.
When the amendment was announced, Wolniakowski reached out to several lawmakers in Olympia, including Couture, who did not respond to Wolniakowski’s requests for clarification. In an April 9 interview with Gorge Radio, Washington Rep. Kevin Waters said some Washington lawmakers were unaware of the commission and thought they were involved with the Columbia Gorge Amphitheater and concert venue in George, Washington.
“I did meet with Gorge legislators such as Rep. Waters and [David] Stuebe, and Sen. [Paul] Harris,” Wolniakowski said. “I plan to do a lot more outreach meetings in the next six months before the Washington January supplemental session begins to submit a request to restore full funding.”
The commission will travel to Salem on May 8 for a budget work session and talk about how it will adjust its work for the next two years at its upcoming meeting on June 10.
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