Hanford Plan Out Of Reach, Says Lawmaker House Won’t Designate Stretch Wild And Scenic, Says Hastings

Sat., Sept. 20, 1997

Associated Press

Efforts to protect the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River won’t get past the U.S. House this year, U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., predicts.

Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, who controls floor action in the House of Representatives, approved a request from Hastings to prevent the stretch of river from being designated Wild and Scenic, Hastings’ office reported.

“It’s clear that the majority leader agrees that local input and decision-making is vital to successful management of the Hanford Reach,” Hastings said Thursday.

“I’m pleased he supports our position and has assured us that the House will not take action on bills mandating federal control of the Reach.”

The 51-mile Reach is the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River. The area has been controlled by the U.S. Department of Energy for decades as part of the Hanford nuclear reservation, and is in near-pristine condition.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., introduced a bill this year that would put the Reach under control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She says federal control is the best way to ensure the area’s delicate environment is not destroyed by development, farming or recreation.

Hastings, whose district includes the Hanford Reach, supports giving more control of the Reach to local government officials.

As long as Armey controls the House schedule, Murray’s bill won’t get a hearing, even if it passes the Senate, Hastings’ office said. Neither will a similar bill by U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash.

Murray will continue to push for Wild and Scenic protection, spokesman Rex Carney said.

“Senator Murray wants to bring people together and solve the problem,” he said. “She’s trying to work in a bipartisan fashion to move a bill out of the Senate.”

“It’s surprising that Congressman Hastings would allow someone from Texas to play a role in the decision about the future of the Hanford Reach, and possibly make it more difficult to pass a bill out of Congress this year,” Carney added.

Hastings said the Reach should be managed by a county-state-federal commission so people who live near the Reach have a major role in deciding its future.

Hastings said his bill will likely get a House hearing this fall.

Benton County Commissioner Max Benitz said the Hastings-Armey pact bodes well for local control.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.