Nethercutt ignores rival Murray in announcing Wild Sky hearing

WASHINGTON — A plan to permanently protect a swath of Snohomish County advanced a few inches on Capitol Hill yesterday, but mistrust and miscommunication marred what was to be a sign of unity within the state's fractured congressional delegation.

Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Spokane, called a news conference yesterday to say he had secured a promise from a powerful California lawmaker to hold a hearing on the Wild Sky Wilderness Act, which would set aside 106,000 acres near Index.

Nethercutt is running to unseat Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, who sponsored a companion Wild Sky bill that passed the U.S. Senate but has stalled in the House.

Despite the pledge of a July 22 hearing, Nethercutt said, House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif., did not offer much of a response to the bill.

Pombo has been skeptical of new wilderness proposals, and in a June 1 letter to Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, whose district includes Wild Sky, Pombo wrote that he had "concerns" about 16,000 acres of lowland areas in the Wild Sky plan.

Nethercutt said his office worked with the U.S. Forest Service, Larsen and the House Resources Committee to address the specific concerns about Wild Sky.

"This is the product of a lot of hard work to bring people together," Nethercutt said. "Many have dreamed about a Wild Sky Wilderness for years. I'm proud to help move it closer to reality."

Nethercutt did not mention Murray, who sent staffers to meet with Larsen and Nethercutt last month to hash out a compromise on Wild Sky.

Poring over maps, staffers from the three offices came up with a plan that eliminated about 3,000 acres of former logging roads from the original 106,000-acre proposal, said Abbey Blake, spokeswoman for Larsen.

They agreed to present a new proposal to the House Resources Committee.

As of Tuesday evening, the offices were corresponding about details of the compromise in a draft news release that was to come jointly from Larsen's, Nethercutt's and Murray's offices.

"The three Washington state lawmakers and their staffs continued a three-year-long, bipartisan process that addressed concerns from a broad spectrum of interests," it read.

But the release was never sent, and Nethercutt held his own press conference, downplaying any agreement with his Democratic colleagues.

"To say we agree 100 percent on everything is not accurate," he said.

A spokesman for Murray expressed surprise at Nethercutt's comments.

"Why did we have a month's worth of negotiations?" asked Mike Spahn. "We were under the impression that once we all agreed, we would be able to move forward."

Spahn noted that time for legislative action was dwindling.

A July 22 hearing on Wild Sky would take place one day before Congress recesses for more than a month, and many congressional watchers expect the agenda to be packed in September.

If the Wild Sky proposal dies this year, it would have to be reintroduced in the House and Senate next year.

It remains to be seen if the 16,000 lowland acres referred to by Pombo will be the sticking point for the wilderness area. Traditionally, wilderness in the state has consisted of largely pristine lands at higher elevations. Wild Sky includes tracts that were logged and mined in the past 80 years, making them less than pristine. Critics contend those 16,000 lowland acres are unsuitable for permanent environmental protection.

Yesterday, Pombo wasn't making any commitments about whether he would eliminate the disputed 16,000 acres in a final bill.

"I don't know what the chairman is going to finally approve," said Nethercutt. "I don't know, and that's because Pombo isn't saying."

Alex Fryer: 206-464-8124 or afryer@seattletimes.com