Colville rounds up reports on plans

The public is invited on Thursday to hear reports from volunteer groups that have been collaborating with officials to revise the management plan for the Colville National Forest.

The Forest Plan Revision Round Up is scheduled for 2 p.m.-6 p.m. at the Spokane Community College satellite campus in Colville.

More than 40 volunteers with varied backgrounds and interests participated in workshops throughout 2006 to work out issues in land-use options.

After the collaboration data is analyzed and compiled, forest planning will continue with more opportunities for public comment, officials said.

Info: (509) 447-7300.

Rich Landers

WILDERNESS

Wild Sky could finally fly

After five years of trying, Democratic lawmakers say they are confident this is the year Congress will finally approve a Wild Sky Wilderness northeast of Seattle.

The Senate has approved the Wild Sky proposal three times in recent years, but the plan has never come up for a vote on the House floor, largely because of opposition from the Republican chairman of a key House committee. With their party now in charge of Congress, Democrats say there is no reason the bill cannot be approved quickly and signed into law this summer.

Bills sponsored by Rep. Rick Larsen and Sen. Patty Murray would designate 106,577 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest as wilderness, the government’s highest level of protection. The two Democrats say their measure would block development or other economic activity in a sprawling area north of U.S. 2 that includes habitat for bears, bald eagles and other wildlife, as well as streams, hiking trails and other forms of recreation.

Associated Press

WINTER BACKCOUNTRY

Deadly weekend

Avalanches killed six people in Montana, Utah and Idaho last weekend.

Two snowmobilers were killed in a single slide in the Little Belt Mountains of Central Montana.

Associated Press