§544c Columbia River Gorge Commission

Summary

Creates the Columbia River Gorge Commission by having Oregon and Washington make an interstate agreement within one year after November 17, 1986. The Commission is not a U.S. agency. The agreement starts when four initial members from each State are appointed. Governors can give counties 90 more days to pick members. States must give the Commission, State agencies, and counties the power they need under the agreement. The Commission has 13 members: six county appointees (one each from Hood River, Multnomah, and Wasco Counties in Oregon and Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties in Washington), three Oregon appointees (at least one must live in the scenic area), three Washington appointees (at least one must live in the scenic area), and one nonvoting Forest Service employee appointed by the Secretary. Members usually serve four-year terms, but some initial members were given five- or six-year terms as designated by the Governors. Vacancies are filled by the State or county that made the original appointment. Governors and counties may not appoint elected or appointed public officials to the Commission. A majority is a quorum, and members pick a chair by majority vote of each State’s appointees. The Commission hires staff, sets pay (member pay set by State law), and pays all costs from State funds. It must make rules for its procedures, contracts, conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, open meetings, advisory committees, and information release that follow the stricter of the two States’ laws. Federal agencies may help the Commission by providing information, people, property, or services for pay, and the Secretary may give free technical help. The Commission must also create voluntary technical and citizen advisory committees.