OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

By: Ron Wyden
By: Ron Wyden
Date: Dec. 20, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Education Environment


STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. SMITH):

S. 2150. A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Bureau of Land Management Land to the City of Eugene, Oregon; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I introduce, with my friend and colleague from Oregon, Senator SMITH, a small bill that should pack a big score for ecological education in the City of Eugene. This bill authorizes the transfer of 12 acres from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to the City of Eugene on which the City of Eugene plans to construct the West Eugene Environmental Education Center (WEEEC). The WEEEC is a planned campus that will eventually hold laboratories, greenhouses, a reference library, and public gathering places including an exhibit hall, auditorium, and three classrooms. Transfer of this acreage by this bill is the first step towards making the promise of this educational center a reality.

The WEEEC and this bill are supported by the West Eugene Wetland Partnership (Partnership). The Partnership is made up of the BLM, Eugene School Districts, Northwest Youth Corp, and the Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN) which was formed to assist in planning, funding, building, and operating portions of this education center. This bill
is also supported by the Oregon and California Counties (O&C counties) who originally had issue with the land transfer because they opposed loss of the 12 acres from the BLM land base. They are now in support of this bill because the City of Eugene has stepped up to the plate and is transferring land they currently own to the BLM to keep the public land roles consistent.

The WEEEC will be the culmination of over a decade of work on the part of local folks to preserve the West Eugene Wetlands. I urge its swift passage.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

S. 2150

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov/

arrow_upward