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December 11, 2008

Working for Oregon: Central Region

Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Jefferson, Wheeler, Deschutes, Crook

Growing Oregon's Economy

Federal transportation funding represents an important investment in Oregon's economy, and Senator Wyden has secured funding for several important regional transportation projects, including the Ninth Street Arterial connector in Prineville, the US 97 Reroute project, improvements to the Redmond airport, and construction on US 20 between Bend and Ontario.

As an author of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, Senator Wyden directed the Administration to build a forest health research facility in Prineville that would assess, monitor, and evaluate fire risks and other forest health threats in the West.

Senator Wyden believes that a bottom-up approach is the best way to foster economic growth in Oregon. As chairman of the Oregon Business Plan Leadership Committee, Senator Wyden led an economic development tour of the state that gave local businesses and community leaders an opportunity to share their ideas for fostering economic growth.  The tour included forums in Medford, Klamath Falls, Bend, Eugene, Newport, The Dalles, Pendleton, La Grande, and John Day that have helped shape economic development plans for the entire state.

When civic leaders in The Dalles approached Senator Wyden with plans to develop high-speed broadband access in their community, he helped secure the federal funds that enabled them to install a fiber-optic loop in the area. That targeted investment in infrastructure made it possible for Google to establish a major facility in the area, bringing new jobs to the community.

Keeping Oregonians Healthy and Safe

Following years of devastating wildfires, Senator Wyden brokered a compromise wildfire prevention bill that sought to protect communities from catastrophic wildfires, restore unhealthy forests, and preserve old growth forests. The bill, known as the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, was signed into law in late 2003. Since then, Senator Wyden has led the fight to fully fund the hazardous fuels reduction work authorized by the law.

When U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld proposed shutting down the Portland-based 142nd Fighter Wing, Senator Wyden worked with state military leaders and local officials in a successful effort to have the proposal rejected. Eliminating the 142nd Fighter Wing would have left Oregon and all of the Northwest more vulnerable to attack.

Senator Wyden has been a leader in the fight against methamphetamine and has worked to give law enforcement officials, treatment providers and communities the tools they need to address this problem. He cosponsored and helped pass the Combat Meth Act, which provides law enforcement officials and prosecutors with resources to pursue and punish producers and distributors of methamphetamine. The bill also sought to increase community awareness of the methamphetamine problem and establishes new treatment options for those suffering from methamphetamine addiction. In addition, Senator Wyden has worked with state and local law enforcement officials to ensure that additional Oregon counties get designated as High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) and thus receive more federal funds to fight against methamphetamine and other drugs.

Protecting Oregon's Treasures

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he succeeded in passing the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area Act. Today the Forest Service has acquired over 35,000 acres of land that otherwise would have been developed were it not for the protection of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area Act. Senator Wyden is currently working to protect additional areas surrounding Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge.

When the U.S. Forest Service’s sale price for the Bend Pine Nursery nearly doubled, Senator Wyden worked with his colleagues to pass legislation that set a fair and reasonable price for the land. The legislation helped local taxpayers save $2.3 million, and the land was eventually acquired by the Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District.