Ithaca 37
New member
How would you guys make sure everyone from Carole King to the local fatassed ATV riders are happy?
http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040702/NEWS01/407020328/1001/NEWS
Preservationists, recreationists tell Simpson their White Clouds ideas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rocky Barker
The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 07-02-2004
STANLEY — Rep. Mike Simpson on Thursday heard what people don't like about his plan to protect wilderness in the Boulder/White Clouds Mountains and help the economy of central Idaho.
Preservationists in Ketchum criticized Simpson for leaving lakes and trails they love out of his 294,000-acre wilderness area.
In Stanley, mountain bikers and snowmobilers urged him to keep open access to the alpine peaks where they ride.
Others asked him to change plans to transfer federal land to Custer County and the state to offset wilderness protection costs.
About 250 people packed the American Legion Hall in Ketchum, while 150 came to the Stanley School. Simpson vowed to continue to seek a compromise that protects most of the state's largest roadless area while keeping motorized access and helping economically strapped Custer County.
He holds the last of his three meetings today in Challis.
Federal wilderness designation prohibits motorized use, logging and new mining. But in the Boulder/White Clouds, the major conflict left is between motorized recreationists and wilderness advocates who want the backcountry quiet and open only to hikers and horseback riding.
Sarah Michael, a commissioner from Blaine County, and Ketchum Mayor Ed Simon told Simpson they want more wilderness because it's critical to their recreation-based economy.
"Wilderness requires very little federal action and very little federal money,'' Simon said.
But Merle Ebers, of the Idaho State Snowmobile Association, countered in Stanley that the economies of Elk City, Grangeville and Kooskia that are next to wilderness are not benefiting economically. Stanley can build its winter economy on snowmobiling if he and other riders are allowed into the high country for riding. Singer-songwriter Carole King, who has a ranch in the White Clouds, called the 500,000 acre roadless area "our Hope Diamond."
"What's happening with this (plan) is we're chipping off the Hope Diamond,'' King said.
Jack Struthers, who owns a motorcycle dealership in Boise, urged Simpson to consider other ways to protect the area without kicking out motorized users. Simpson's plan does keep open several critical motorized trails, including a loop around popular Frog Lake and the Germania Trail that divides the Boulders from the White Clouds and connects the East Fork of the Salmon River area with the Sawtooth Valley.
"We don't want to destroy the land, we want to preserve it," Struthers said.
Rick Johnson, executive director of the Idaho Conservation League, said a provision that would require federal officials to open a new trail if they are forced to close an existing trail to motorized use is a "fundamental flaw" of the plan. He and other environmentalists decried the proposal to give the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation $1 million for motorized trail development and land.
"It's really hard for them to take care of the land they have now," said Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum. Simpson's plan calls for transferring 1,000 acres of Challis National Forest lands to Custer County so it can resell it to help pay for the costs of wilderness management like ambulances, rescue and road maintenance. He also proposed an unspecified transfer of federal lands in the Stanley area, which is surrounded by the Sawtooth National Recreational Area.
Bob Hayes, executive director of the Sawtooth Society, which works to keep the SNRA from becoming overdeveloped, said he hoped they could support the bill. But Simpson must ensure that any land transferred in the SNRA cannot exceed 100 acres, must be contiguous to existing development and have strict deed restrictions to meet the SNRA standards.
Chris Cook of Boise, a mountain biker who regularly rides deep into the backcountry of the White Clouds, spoke for the Idaho Recreation Council, a new group he said represents motorized recreationists and mountain bikers. They can support the bill, he said, only if there is no net loss of recreation in the area, including bicycling.
"I feel the current proposal is going to shut me out of areas unique in Idaho and the United States," Cook said.
Only one rancher testified, Jay Neider of Stanley. He said he supports multiple use and has not liked watching logging, mining and ranching fade in the area.
"I'm against any more wilderness in Idaho, but I know there's going to have to be more to satisfy the enviros," he said. "I do think the peaks should be wilderness."
Simpson told those in various camps why they should help get his bill done this year. To wilderness advocates, he warned that if he fails, it could be 25 to 30 years before the issue is resolved, and motorized use would only grow. To the motorized users, he pointed out that Sen. John Kerry could win the election, and the western White House would be in Ketchum. Kerry could declare the area a national monument, which could close down use.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040702/NEWS01/407020328/1001/NEWS
Preservationists, recreationists tell Simpson their White Clouds ideas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rocky Barker
The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 07-02-2004
STANLEY — Rep. Mike Simpson on Thursday heard what people don't like about his plan to protect wilderness in the Boulder/White Clouds Mountains and help the economy of central Idaho.
Preservationists in Ketchum criticized Simpson for leaving lakes and trails they love out of his 294,000-acre wilderness area.
In Stanley, mountain bikers and snowmobilers urged him to keep open access to the alpine peaks where they ride.
Others asked him to change plans to transfer federal land to Custer County and the state to offset wilderness protection costs.
About 250 people packed the American Legion Hall in Ketchum, while 150 came to the Stanley School. Simpson vowed to continue to seek a compromise that protects most of the state's largest roadless area while keeping motorized access and helping economically strapped Custer County.
He holds the last of his three meetings today in Challis.
Federal wilderness designation prohibits motorized use, logging and new mining. But in the Boulder/White Clouds, the major conflict left is between motorized recreationists and wilderness advocates who want the backcountry quiet and open only to hikers and horseback riding.
Sarah Michael, a commissioner from Blaine County, and Ketchum Mayor Ed Simon told Simpson they want more wilderness because it's critical to their recreation-based economy.
"Wilderness requires very little federal action and very little federal money,'' Simon said.
But Merle Ebers, of the Idaho State Snowmobile Association, countered in Stanley that the economies of Elk City, Grangeville and Kooskia that are next to wilderness are not benefiting economically. Stanley can build its winter economy on snowmobiling if he and other riders are allowed into the high country for riding. Singer-songwriter Carole King, who has a ranch in the White Clouds, called the 500,000 acre roadless area "our Hope Diamond."
"What's happening with this (plan) is we're chipping off the Hope Diamond,'' King said.
Jack Struthers, who owns a motorcycle dealership in Boise, urged Simpson to consider other ways to protect the area without kicking out motorized users. Simpson's plan does keep open several critical motorized trails, including a loop around popular Frog Lake and the Germania Trail that divides the Boulders from the White Clouds and connects the East Fork of the Salmon River area with the Sawtooth Valley.
"We don't want to destroy the land, we want to preserve it," Struthers said.
Rick Johnson, executive director of the Idaho Conservation League, said a provision that would require federal officials to open a new trail if they are forced to close an existing trail to motorized use is a "fundamental flaw" of the plan. He and other environmentalists decried the proposal to give the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation $1 million for motorized trail development and land.
"It's really hard for them to take care of the land they have now," said Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum. Simpson's plan calls for transferring 1,000 acres of Challis National Forest lands to Custer County so it can resell it to help pay for the costs of wilderness management like ambulances, rescue and road maintenance. He also proposed an unspecified transfer of federal lands in the Stanley area, which is surrounded by the Sawtooth National Recreational Area.
Bob Hayes, executive director of the Sawtooth Society, which works to keep the SNRA from becoming overdeveloped, said he hoped they could support the bill. But Simpson must ensure that any land transferred in the SNRA cannot exceed 100 acres, must be contiguous to existing development and have strict deed restrictions to meet the SNRA standards.
Chris Cook of Boise, a mountain biker who regularly rides deep into the backcountry of the White Clouds, spoke for the Idaho Recreation Council, a new group he said represents motorized recreationists and mountain bikers. They can support the bill, he said, only if there is no net loss of recreation in the area, including bicycling.
"I feel the current proposal is going to shut me out of areas unique in Idaho and the United States," Cook said.
Only one rancher testified, Jay Neider of Stanley. He said he supports multiple use and has not liked watching logging, mining and ranching fade in the area.
"I'm against any more wilderness in Idaho, but I know there's going to have to be more to satisfy the enviros," he said. "I do think the peaks should be wilderness."
Simpson told those in various camps why they should help get his bill done this year. To wilderness advocates, he warned that if he fails, it could be 25 to 30 years before the issue is resolved, and motorized use would only grow. To the motorized users, he pointed out that Sen. John Kerry could win the election, and the western White House would be in Ketchum. Kerry could declare the area a national monument, which could close down use.
