OREGON — On Oct. 30, Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer, 75, announced he will not run for re-election when his term expires. The representative for Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District will leave office in 2024, but until then, he has a “laundry list” of things he wants to accomplish.
Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer
On Nov. 15 he announced, along with Sen. Ron Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley, they are reintroducing the Wy’east Tribal Resources Restoration Act. The bill will direct the U.S. Forest Service to collaborate with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs to create a co-management plan. Blumenauer hopes the bill will protect and enhance Tribal Treaty resources and protect the Reservation from wildfire within agreed-upon “Treaty Resources Emphasis Zones.” Recreation, transportation, and conservation on Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge will also be enhanced.
“This is this is part of my bucket list as I wrap up my service in Congress, but it’s something I plan on being involved with going on into the future. This is this is part of everybody’s legacy,” Blumenauer told Columbia Gorge News.
The co-management bill is the first of its kind in the country and Blumenauer spoke to the importance of including the tribal partners in this endeavor.
“I mean, they’ve been doing this for millennia and in a very real sense, this is their land,” Blumenauer said. “We want to make sure that we are doing a better job harnessing traditional ecological knowledge, together with the best available scientific information to use in the forest and resource management areas.”
The legislation also requires implementation of the Cultural Foods Obligations which were included in the Public Lands Management Act of 2009 but were never carried out. Blumenauer said the transition between the Obama and Trump administrations made it difficult to implement. Blumenauer hopes the Biden Administration can build on the existing foundations.
The bill will provide $3.5 million in annual appropriations to better ensure the Tribe is a full participant in developing the management plan.
“We think an ongoing appropriation [of $3.5 million], would give us the capacity to make sure that the details of the legislation are dealt with,” he said.
Blumenauer also pointed to the impact tourism can have and how they are balancing tourist accessibility and land preservation.
“Being able to spotlight our history with indigenous people is important,” Blumenauer said. “Part of what we’re doing with the co-management is making sure that the resources are protected.”
He wants visitors to appreciate the heritage of the indigenous people. They were and continue to play a part in Oregon’s history.
In roughly 13 months, Bluemanuer will leave office, but he says there will be opportunities where he can continue to make a difference. He said some are already giving suggestions for his next step, but he is looking forward to taking a moment to relax.
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