U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), and U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA, 4th District) applauded a recommendation made by the U.S. Forest Service to the Bureau of Land Management to withdraw 340,000 acres in the Methow Valley from consideration for mining for a 20 year period.
