Wednesday April 9, 2025
KGW8 —
The agency tasked with helping to manage and protect the Columbia River Gorge could be facing a funding cut from the Washington legislature as lawmakers in Olympia grapple with how to solve a budget deficit — though the reduction is still far from certain.
The Columbia River Gorge Commission was created by both Oregon and Washington in 1987 to help manage land use in the newly-created Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which forms the central portion of the border between the two states and remains the largest national scenic area in the country.
The agency and its staff of 10 are charged with protecting the scenic, natural, cultural and recreational resources of the gorge while promoting economic development compatible with resource protections. It works closely with the U.S Forest Service and local communities and Columbia River treaty tribes.
The cost of the agency’s roughly $2 million annual budget is split between both states, and the next round of funding appeared to be on track in both legislatures until late last month, when Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, unexpectedly offered an amendment to de-fund the commission by stripping out the funding in the budget created by the Washington House.