Wow Wade. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Idaho already has more than our fair share of wilderness and I'm not sure why the continued focus on our lands. Many years ago, when in college at the UI, I regularly hosted prospective students. One night two of the students were environmentalists from Minnesota visiting the college of forestry. I asked them "Why Idaho?" They told me Idaho already has more wilderness than any other state, including Alaska, and that the UI College of Forestry is one of the highest regarded natural resource schools in the nation. They did suggest any future wilderness acquisitions should be habitat other than evergreen tree areas to ensure a more balanced preservation of the world eco system. I wonder why our congressional representatives feel further restrictions on the use of our lands is important? It seems to me the more wilderness Idaho has, the more people opposed to agriculture, livestock, and forestry will be attracted to a state where these elements are critical to our survival. Not to mention the loss in recreational opportunities that comes with designated wilderness areas.
Thanks, but SAWS pointed me at this info. I just thought some people would like to understand where we stand. I also verified this "feeling" of lack of support, with the people in Idaho that know.
I'll tell you what I think. Money. Money. And money.
Read this:
http://www.house.gov/simpson/pdf/HR222_substitute_keychanges.pdf
It's the particulars on this deal.
Federal Tax dollars for ->
6,000 acres of public land to the state, and county, and all the cities effected.
Stanley-Redfish Trail $400,000
Stanley-Redfish Trail Parking Lot and other $100,000
Idaho Mountain Bicycle Trails $50,000
Custer County $5,100,000
Bayhorse Campground $500,000
Herd Lake Campground $500,000
Trail Construction, Maintenance, Improvements $650,000
Wheel Chair Trail Construction $150,000
Land Acquisition, Easements in BWCMA $5,000,000
Idaho Off Road Motor Vehicle Program $1,000,000
Railroad Ridge Conservation $50,000
Total $13,500,000
It's all about the money. Supposedly, there will be a bunch of wilderness study land released, but that doesn't help snowmobilers any. We lose like 450,000 acres of awesome snowmobile terrain, and we get a snowmobile parking lot in return, WOW.
