To the Editor:
I am Eddie Melendrez, city councilor and community organizer in Ontario. I care about the protection of the Owyhee Canyonlands because it’s the right thing to do.
Protection of the Owyhee Canyonlands will preserve one of the largest expanses of unprotected wildlands in the lower 48 states, boasting more than 2.5 million acres of wilderness-quality public lands. Often described as Oregon’s Grand Canyon, the deep ravines, rocky spires, rolling sagebrush plains, and wild rivers are home to a myriad of fish and wildlife, endless recreational pursuits, and feature some of the darkest night skies in the country.
As a Mexican American/Latino community member, I hope we can protect the Owyhee Canyonlands for future generations to come. Without these protections, The Owyhee Canyonlands are under threat – development and resource extraction, including mining, energy, potential oil and gas development, and a growing problem of unmanaged recreation.
I thank Sen. Merkley for his support of Sen. Wyden’s bill to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands, for his leadership in working toward permanent protections for the Owyhee Canyonlands, and for introducing the Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act. But time is running out. Now we must protect the Owyhee Canyonlands through a national monument for our youth and future generations to come.
Eddie Melendrez, Ontario
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