Federal River Democracy Act Mired in Lawsuit

Northwest Observer ^ | July 15, 2022 | Staff

[Twotone]

In the middle of his campaign for reelection, Senator Ron Wyden may find himself defending the River Democracy Act, the subject of a lawsuit. Senator Wyden introduced S. 192, known as the “River Democracy Act” with Senator Jeff Merkley. The legislation designated nearly 4,700 miles of rivers, streams, creeks, gulches, draws and unnamed tributaries in Oregon as “wild and scenic.”

On June 22, 2022, Western Resources Legal Center filed a Civil Right - Freedom Of Information Act lawsuit against United States Department of Agriculture. Federal land managers are being accused of failing to release documents about the controversial River Democracy Act violating the Freedom of Information Act.

The controversial land grab applies to half-mile buffer zones along designated segments. It could impact public access, water resource management, forest and vegetation management, ranching and grazing, mining and other uses on an estimated 3 million acres of public lands.

It is Western Resources Legal Center’s intent to provide farmers and ranchers that rely on public land for their livelihood, with information to better explain the River Democracy Act.

The WRLC requested information backing government official’s testimony at the hearing on S. 192. The lawsuit indicates testimony included that the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management had documents analyzing potential impacts of the added waterways, the river miles and acres, and effect and methods of enforcement. They suggested a comprehensive river management plan for implementation.

[Twotone]

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[HartleyMBaldwin]

“There might be a legal precedent. Land snatching. L—land. See snatch.”

– Hedley Lamarr