WHEREAS, Mount St. Helens is the most active volcano in the Cascade Range; and
     WHEREAS, The long-dormant Mount St. Helens erupted at 8:32 a.m. on Sunday, May 18, 1980, resulting in the most violent volcanic eruption in the United States during the 20th century; and
     WHEREAS, The lateral blast from the volcano accelerated to at least 300 miles per hour, and the blast cloud traveled as far as 17 miles northward; and
     WHEREAS, The nine-hour eruption killed 57 people, destroyed 234 square miles of forest, and blocked out the sun over half the state of Washington; and
     WHEREAS, Everyday citizens throughout the blast area joined with emergency crews to perform heroic acts of selflessness in rescuing and aiding people and animals alike; and
     WHEREAS, The great destruction brought upon the Pacific Northwest by the eruption was followed by unprecedented forest growth and replenishment of the local ecosystem by nature; and
     WHEREAS, Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Washington Geophysics Program continue to closely monitor Mount St. Helens for signs of renewed activity; and
     WHEREAS, Mount St. Helens continues to remind Pacific Northwest residents of nature's power by periodically burping steam and venting ash; and
     WHEREAS, The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens will always have a place in Pacific Northwest history; and
     WHEREAS, To this day buckets, vials, cups, pans, and other containers full of Mount St. Helens ash can be found in garages, sheds, and basements across Washington state; and
     WHEREAS, The citizens of Washington, the nation, and the world are continually fascinated by Mount St. Helens as seen by the thousands of tourists visiting the site every year;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor Mount St. Helens and the brave men and women who endured its wrath on this, the 25th anniversary of its 1980 volcanic eruption.