President Bush Designates Wild Sky Wilderness in Washington State

President Bush signed legislation today to create a new wilderness area in Washington State. The new area, designated ‘Wild Sky Wilderness’, will become the state’s first new wilderness area created in the past 24 years.

Wild Sky Wilderness will encompass 106,000 acres in Skykomish County and will be bordered by Beckler River, North Fork Skykomish River, and be a part of the Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Hunting, fishing, rafting, and other outdoors activities will be permitted on this newly designated federal land. It is also noted that current float plane operations may continue in the area using a large lake situated in the higher altitude mountainous region. Logging, Mining, and off-road vehicle use, including snowmobiles and ATV’s will be banned from the area.

The legislation signed into effect by President George W. Bush was co-authored by Rep. Dick Larson, D-WA, and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA. The legislation covered 61 other bills, as well, including one authored by Rep. Jay Inslee, giving National Park status to Bainbridge Island, an area that in 1942 was used as a Japanese Internment Camp housing 227 Japanese-Americans.