Senator Murray Visits Wild Sky Wilderness, Discusses Conservation Efforts with Local Leaders

Senator Murray led passage of the Wild Sky Wilderness Act in 2008, preserving more than 106,000 acres of wild land in Snohomish County

As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray has fought hard to protect funding for key conservation efforts and our public lands

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Index, WA - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, met with the U.S. Forest Service, local advocates, government officials, and community leaders to hike in the Wild Sky Wilderness to hear about current environmental and conservation priorities. Murray led the charge to pass the Wild Sky Wilderness bill into law in 2008, designating 106,577 acres of national forest in east Snohomish County as wilderness. Wild Sky protects thousands of acres of low-elevation old growth and 25 miles of salmon streams.

Wild Sky is the result of nearly nine years of work by Senator Murray, Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA-02) and advocates across Washington state. Murray and Larsen first introduced the bill in 2002, and it passed the Senate four times and the House twice before finally making it to the President's desk.

"Creating the Wild Sky Wilderness took years of hard work and collaboration, but today's hike was a reminder that those efforts were more than worth it," said Senator Murray. "Wild Sky is just one example of Washington state's breathtaking natural beauty that is home to so many critical habitats and species. I'm proud to see the difference my bill has made, and I will continue to prioritize protecting public lands as I work to negotiate our spending bills."

Senator Murray has been a longtime champion of protecting Washington's public lands and natural resources-passing groundbreaking legislation like the Wild Sky Wilderness Act and championing legislation like her Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray secured crucial investments in the U.S. Forest Service, wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts, and more in last year's spending package. It included over $4 billion for wildfire preparedness and suppression, over $6 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, as well as millions in Congressionally Directed Spending for Washington state conservation projects.

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