No Casino In The Columbia River Gorge

As a landscape photographer from the Northwest I feel strongly that certain natural areas need to be preserved for future generations. I want others to be able to experience the beauty we get to enjoy today that seems to be slowly eroding. One proposal that some of you may already be aware of is building a Vegas sized casino in the heart of the historic Columbia River Gorge in Cascade Locks. This is a battle that has been going on for quite a few years now.

Yet after much effort the supporters have worked to get the proposal to the desk of Secretary of Interior for a supposed final decision coming later this year. I am not anti building or development, change in certain respects is inevitable. However a change of this magnitude to the Columbia Gorge is something that will hurt the visual beauty, bring sound and light pollution, and not benefit the area in the long term. If you agree please take a moment to visit this link where you can send an email to Secretary and Assistance Secretary of State to voice your concerns.

In case you are not from the area and wonder what kind of fine art imagery can be had right in the area where they plan to build this casino, here is one such image. This is an image I took last winter that I would not have been able to take had the casino been there. Behind the foreground trees would have stood part of the casino complex.

Thanks for allowing me to interrupt the normal stream of photos and useful photography info for a subject of importance like this.

Friends of the Columbia River Gorge