Feb. 1, 2012 - Southwest Oregon voters favor additional protections for the Rogue River according to a new poll by the public opinion research firm Moore Information. Over 75 percent of respondents in Josephine, Douglas, Jackson and Curry counties support protection of the Rogue for its importance to the economy, scenic beauty and the health of fish and wildlife populations. When asked specifically about a pending legislative proposal to designate new Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River protections along the Rogue, voters were supportive of the measure by a clear majority.
"The majority of voters clearly favor additional protection along the Rogue, including boaters, hunters and anglers and hikers," said Bob Moore who conducted the survey. "Voters in the Rogue River valley were especially supportive of the proposal."
Senators Wyden and Merkley and U.S. Representative DeFazio recently introduced legislation in Congress that would expand permanent protection along the Rogue's well known multi-day rafting and fishing stretch near Galice, Oregon. The new protections would designate 93 miles of river as Wild and Scenic and nearly 60,000 acres as Wilderness. If passed, the legislation would preserve a pristine area that benefits clean water, salmon and the local economy. Recreation on this portion of the Rogue generates $30 million in annual economic output and creates 445 jobs.
"This poll demonstrates that the people of southwestern Oregon deeply value the Rogue River and want to protect this treasure for future generations," said Chad Woodward of American Rivers, which commissioned the poll. "The new legislation will conserve one of Oregon's greatest natural wonders and allow the Rogue River to remain a vibrant and central part of the local recreation and tourism economy."
The survey of 300 voters in Josephine, Jackson, Douglas and Curry counties was conducted in the first week of January.
American Rivers is the leading organization working to protect and restore the nation's rivers and streams. Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Since 1973, American Rivers has fought to preserve these connections, helping protect and restore more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and the annual release of America's Most Endangered Rivers®.
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