3 Bend breweries among more than 30 urging Owyhee Canyonlands protection

By Eric Tegethoff, Oregon News Service

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The effort to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands is getting support from a big Oregon industry that also relies on clean water: breweries.

More than 30 breweries from across the state have sent a letter urging Congress to pass the Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act before the year ends.

The list includes Deschutes Brewery, Boneyard Beer and Silver Moon Brewing in Bend.

Mike Branes is co-founder of Migration Brewing, which is among the beermakers supporting the bill to protect the landscape.

"Water is such an important aspect to the brewing community that taking care of that is very important to us," Branes said.

The bill, introduced by Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, would designate more than 1 million acres of the canyonlands as wilderness and more than 14 miles of the Owyhee River as wild and scenic. It also would protect grazing and land-use laws.

Wyden brought together local ranchers, business owners, conservation groups and others to help craft the bill.

Outdoor recreation is a big part of Oregon's economy. It supported 88,000 jobs and generated $7.2 billion in 2019, according to U.S. Department of Commerce numbers.

Branes said the Owyhees have touched him personally.

"I've paddled the river multiple times and hiked some of the canyon a number of times, and it's really just a very special place, dear to my heart," he said. "And I'd really like to be able to share those experiences with children and grandchildren."

Breweries in Oregon also are a big slice of the economy. They support more than 31,000 jobs directly and indirectly and contribute nearly $4.5 billion to the state's economy each year, according to the Oregon Brewers Guild.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.