Longtime Gorge advocate Robert Liberty warns “attacks from development interests and ideologues” could degrade the area forever
Veteran protector: Robert Liberty represented Multnomah County on the Columbia River Gorge Commission for more than a decade. Photo: Columbia River Gorge Commission
By Chuck Thompson. January 13, 2026. In an unexpected move, Robert Liberty, the Multnomah County Appointee to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, has resigned his position on the Columbia River Gorge Commission.
Since becoming a commissioner in 2015, Liberty has served as both chair and vice chair of the organization. In 2023, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners re-appointed him to another four-year term.
In a written statement on Jan. 8, Liberty, 72, submitted his resignation, effective immediately, to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners.
Established in 1987 by the states of Oregon and Washington, the Columbia River Gorge Commission implements and enforces policies and programs that protect and enhance the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
Among the most respected and veteran protectors of the Gorge’s environmental integrity, Liberty’s resignation has struck a note of anxiety about the future of the National Scenic Area, which he wrote is under attack.
“In recent years, I have observed many growing threats to the Gorge,” Liberty wrote in his resignation letter, obtained by Columbia Insight. “These include the gentrification of working lands with luxury homesites for the wealthy, the conversion of working agricultural lands into backdrops for events venues and restaurants and rapidly accelerating fires resulting from climate change.
“In the last year, I have noticed resistance to addressing the concerns of our Tribal Treaty partners, even though our Chair, Vice Chair and another Commissioner are members of those tribes.”
“Robert Liberty is one of the most respected land use professionals in the country,” said Bowen Blair, an attorney who helped pass the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act in 1986 as executive director of Friends of the Columbia Gorge, and a current Columbia Insight board member. “His resignation from the Gorge Commission is the political equivalent of a five-alarm fire. Forty years after the National Scenic Area Act was passed, we—once again—need the Oregon and Washington Governors to start paying attention to the Columbia Gorge.”
Gorge Commission “not addressing threats”
Liberty’s letter referenced last year’s effort by the Washington State House of Representatives to defund the National Scenic Area. After a month of debate, the Washington State House and Senate reduced Gorge Commission funding by 27%.
“The Commission is also under increasing and unceasing attacks from development interests and ideologues who are opposed to government restrictions and perhaps any government at all,” wrote Liberty.
Liberty said he’s resigning because “the Commission’s work plan for the remaining fourteen months of my term will not address these threats. If it did, I would stay on the Commission.”
“Liberty’s resignation is the political equivalent of a five-alarm fire.”
Most alarming, to some observers, are the notes of pessimism in the typically upbeat Liberty’s letter.
“Meanwhile, I observe the erosion of Oregon’s remarkable and unique system of land planning and regulation,” he wrote. “No other state has a system that combines stopping sprawl with increased equity in housing and transportation, rural land conservation and prudence in the use of taxpayer dollars.
“But it is being undermined by the hostility of Governor Kotek and growing corruption in the form of pay-to-play politics, particularly evident in Washington County.
“As if all of that was not enough, the foundations of our Republic are under attack from the deeply corrupt, authoritarian, oligarchic and chaotically incompetent Trump regime and its supporters.”
A vibrant and steadfast defender of conservation goals, Liberty was the founder and former director of the Urban Sustainability Accelerator and Institute for Sustainable Solutions at Portland State University; a two-term councilor at Metro Regional Government; senior counsel to Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer; and executive director of 1000 Friends of Oregon, the organization founded by Henry Richmond and Governor Tom McCall in 1974 to champion the state’s unique land use planning system.
Liberty is a graduate of the University of Oregon, Harvard Law School and Oxford University.
His resignation brings the loss of one of the most erudite and committed defenders of environmental protections in the Columbia River Gorge, and raises serious questions about the future of the National Scenic Area, “a beautiful and unique combination of ecological, geological, scenic and cultural wonders,” as he wrote, that attracts more than 2 million visitors from around the United States and the world each year.
Thank You Robert Liberty for your dedication and accomplishments. We have an amazing place that deserves protection.
Great but sad story. This should be a wake up call for the Gorge Commission and political leaders. Who can help? The Friends of the Gorge? The focus, per the Gorge Act’s first purpose must be protection of resources. Development should only be allowed if protection is assured.
The Gorge Commission needs to do outreach to explain to the public and political leaders the purpose of the Scenic Area Act and what’s at stake. It was obvious during the funding crisis that state political leaders didn’t have a clue re the Act and the Commission role.
Jurgen Hess was on the Gorge Commission in its early years representing the US Forest Service.
Liberty for Governor!
Thank you for yoour service Mr. Liberty. Your courage, intelligence, and dedication have served the Pacific Northwest well.
Gee, it seems the commission needs him more than ever.
A huge loss!
But I couldn’t agree more with the commenter that wrote: Liberty for governor!
We need to redouble our efforts to protect our air, water and wilderness. I really hope Oregonians and Washingtonians will protect what we have before it gets abused beyond recognition. This the inheritance of all of us. The biggest threat of all is ignorance and complacency.
Thank you so much Mr. Liberty for your service and dedication to the protection of our beautiful Gorge! Who will now stand up and apply for Commissioner of the Gorge Commision?
Unfortunately the corruption and greed is creeping into the Gorge, influenced by the example of the current mafia bully tactics of the Trump regime.
We must all stand up to the Rule of Law and call out those who wish to destroy the beauty and exploit the Gorge Scenic Area.
let’s hope landowners can now retrieve some of our property right we lost to this guy’s idea of what the NSA was put into law for
Hopefully, you mean the original land owners. The Native Americans.
I was saddened by Robert Liberty’s resignation. As a former Gorge Commissioner, appointed by former Washington Governor’s Gregoire and Inslee, I completely understand his frustration. During my tenure on the Commission, I too was disheartened by the gentrification of the Gorge and the lack of leadership by staff on increased development, climate change and other conservation issues. Instead of bold leadership by staff, there were small incremental changes made and resistance to an overarching conservation ethic. It was unbelievable. When I proposed the management plan update include a mandate for firewise education for all land use applications, I was met with a less than enthusiastic response by staff. It was only when one of the more conservative members of the commission voted for my firewise amendment, that it passed.
From my point of view, as a landowner in the National Scenic Area, the Columbia River Gorge Commission is doing more harm than good if the goal is protect this beautiful place from rampant development and address the daunting environmental challenges facing the Gorge.
I hope Mr. Liberty’s resignation will be a wakeup call to Washington’s and Oregon’s Governor’s.
Respectfully,
Janet Wainwright
It seems at a time like this that has been illustrated here we need Liberty now more than ever to at least help keep a finger on the pulse of the internal workings of the Gorge and its future. Please do not resign…. WE NEED YOU!!!!
Thank you to Liberty for his sometimes lonely service to and for all of us and showing how the position needs someone of like philosophy and vision. I hear his vision and am in awe of his service as a minority but longer vision of where we have been, forces being applied, and the leadership we so urgently need.
Big shoes to fill but looking and needing another person of such vision.
Heroic service from one who saw and acted.
And YES to office of governor.