Washington’s two senators and U.S. Rep. Brian Baird will receive recommendations about Mount St. Helens’ future Thursday.

Baird and U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray will accept the report from the Congressional Mount St. Helens Advisory Committee. The committee met for more than a year about the future of the volcano and the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Cowlitz County Commissioner Axel Swanson said last week he was pleased all three lawmakers will gather to receive the report, noting it’s rare to have them all together in the area focusing on one issue. Swanson was one of three co-chairmen of the advisory committee. He said Thursday’s meeting in Longview will be a chance to again make the argument that the volcano needs more federal funding.

The Forest Service recently received $6.2 million in federal stimulus funds for Mount St. Helens. “And we need to say (to the lawmakers) that this is what Mount St. Helens needs every year,” Swanson said last week at a town hall meeting in Toutle.

The major issue before the committee was management of the monument. Some people advocated it become a national park, while others wanted it to remain under U.S. Forest Service management.

National Park Service supports say a change in management would bring more federal funding and more prestige and visitors to the volcano. Forest Service supporters say they fear access would be further restricted if the monument were run by the Park Service.

The committee took a hybrid approach, recommending the monument stay part of the Forest Service but receive National Park-like funding. Among its dozens of recommendations, the committee also suggested building more roads and overnight accommodations in and around the monument.

Not everyone on the committee agreed with the management recommendation, though, and dissenting opinions also will be presented to lawmakers.

Cowlitz County commissioners initially backed Park Service management but backed off when questions were raised by county residents and industry. Commissioners have not yet made a new decision one way or the other, Commission Chairman George Raiter said last week.

Swanson said Friday he didn’t believe public comment would be taken at Thursday’s event, but it is open to the public. The meeting is only scheduled for one hour, making a public comment session unlikely.

Thursday’s meeting is at 2 p.m. in the Cowlitz County Expo and Conference Center, 1900 Seventh Ave., Longview.