On July 29, we lost Rich. Born in in Hutchinson, Kansas, in 1935, Rich moved to Richland, Washington, in 1943, only a year after his beloved Hanford Reach was inadvertently protected by the Manhattan project. That fortuitous accident would later define much of Rich’s later years.
From his obituary:
“For six decades, Rich fought to protect and preserve the Hanford Reach. In 1967, Rich, along with Jack deYonge and Lowell Johnson, founded the Columbia River Conservation League (CRCL), coordinating the successful local opposition to the Ben Franklin Dam. Rich revived the CRCL in the 1980s, which partnered with many groups, to block a dredging proposal for the Reach. This continued to lay the groundwork for the eventual monument designation. Over the years, he escorted numerous dignitaries and journalists on V.I.P. tours up the Columbia, often at his own expense, including Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Vice President Al Gore, Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt, Governors Gary Locke and Mike Lowry, State Representative (now Governor) Jay Inslee, and author Timothy Egan. He was featured in two PBS documentaries on the Columbia River and was the subject of innumerable media articles. While constantly battling various agricultural groups and numerous attempts to dam or dredge the Reach, Rich was persistent in his advocacy to ensure that the Hanford Reach and its surrounding areas would be protected for generations to come. It was Rich’s foresight and vision that the north slope must be included in the monument's boundary for the purpose of protecting the pristine white bluffs from collapse. Without this protection, the precious cobblestone needed for salmon and steelhead spawning would be lost. In 1995, Rich received the Citizen Environmental Hero Award from the Washington Environmental Council for his work on the Reach. This award recognized his sustained and effective action to preserve the environment of Washington State. After decades of organizing and legislative battles, and with Senator Murray’s valuable support, President Bill Clinton signed an Executive Order in 2000 proclaiming the Hanford Reach and adjacent lands a National Monument. This designation has protected the treasured white bluffs, numerous rare indigenous species, sagebrush sagebrush
The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands. The sagebrush landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.
Learn more about sagebrush habitat, and wild salmon and steelhead spawning grounds.”
On a personal note, I can’t remember how many trips I took on Rich’s jetboat out of the hundreds he donated in support of protecting the Reach. I can remember, however, listening to Rich tell person after person after person—no matter their station in life—about the history and importance of the Reach. I remember sitting on “Murray’s Beach” listening to him explain to Senator Murray, Congressman Kreidler, Congressman Inslee, Secretary Babbitt, and other dignitaries why the Reach should be protected.I remember his commitment slogging through federal advisory committee meetings as we wrote the management plan for the Reach.Mostly, I remember someone who cared so very, very deeply about the river. Goodbye, Rich.
Dan Haas, Visitor Services
