The Columbia River Gorge Commission approved its budget request to the state of Oregon for the 2015-17 biennium, and it includes a proposal to increase staff from the current six full-time positions to 11.  Most of the proposed new positions would be in planning, including a Principal Planner, two full-time development review specialists, and a resource specialist.  It would require Oregon to up its two-year budget commitment by just over $768,000, a figure Washington would have to match.  Under the compact that created the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and the Gorge Commission, the two states must provide the same amount of funding.  The Commission proposal says the staffing increase would significantly reduce its growing backlog of development review permits, pursue a recreational planning assessment and an urban area boundaries policy, give technical assistance to Gorge counties implementing the Scenic Area Act, and facilitate a discussion on the risks of increased rail transport through the Gorge.