A bill that Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., introduced Nov. 1 would designate fewer Owyhee Canyonlands acres as wilderness compared to existing legislation.

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., in late 2019 first introduced legislation that included buy-in from environmental groups as well as Malheur County ranchers and local leaders who sought to avoid a national monument designation. Merkley is co-sponsor of Wyden’s latest proposal, SB 1890, which was introduced in 2023.