Wild & Scenic Places In the News

Nearly $8.8 million in federal economic recovery funds are bound for Oregon to repair roads, dams and other facilities at national wildlife refuges and federal fish hatcheries, Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Monday.

The money is included in a $280 million package for work in the nation’s wildlife refuges and hatcheries announced by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to create jobs, improve facilities and promote conservation. Money for the projects will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

National wildlife refuges receiving $7.3 million in federal funds include:

In the Willamette Valley, the William L. Finley wildlife refuge, located between Monroe and Corvallis, will receive $1,596,000 to repair a road and rehabilitate trails.

Other refuges receiving money include the Malheur, $3 million to rehabilitate and replace dams and repair a water delivery system; Bandon Marsh, $950,000 to construct a power line under the tidal marsh restoration area; Tualatin, $862,000 to repair a road; Hart Mountain, $240,000 to build public use facilities; Oregon Islands, $175,000 to rehabilitate a trail at the Coquille Point interpretive center; Umatilla, $89,000 to replace a water line.

Habitat restoration efforts totaling $836,000 include dam removals and fish passage projects on tributaries to the Columbia River, in the Klamath Falls area, in the Willamette Valley and along the Oregon Coast.

A national fish hatchery outside of Portland and another on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation will receive a total of $713,000 in federal funds.