ESWA Advocates for Wilderness

Dear ESWA Supporters: Our public lands, including our local Wilderness Areas,

Wilderness Study Areas, and Roadless Areas are increasing at risk. Below is a

summary of the key issues being followed by ESWA’s Advocacy Committee and what

you can do.

BOLTING IN WILDERNESS AREAS. The USFS and National Park Service have

issued proposed new rules and regulations on when and how new steel bolts, anchors,

and other kinds of permanent installations can be drilled into sheer rock walls in

Wilderness Areas other public land. See ESWA’s analysis and responses here.

FIX OUR FOREST ACT. This pending bill (which has failed to advance on its own) has

recently been attached to the “must pass” Annual Defense Appropriation Act. It would,

among many bad provisions, allow clear cutting without a full NEPA review of up to

10,000 acres (15 square miles) each year under the guise of wildfire mitigation, at the

behest of the timber industry. See ESWA’s analysis and how you can help here.

REPEAL OF ROADLESS RULE. The USFS is seeking to repeal a 25-year old federal

rule that prohibits new road construction in Wilderness Study Areas and other areas that

qualify for wilderness designation. This would disqualify such areas from future

Wilderness consideration by Congress. See the background and ESWA’s opposing

comment letters here.

CHAIN SAWS IN WILDERNESS. The USFS has issued (without public input) a

directive authorizing local outfitters with hunting camps in the Frank Church Wilderness

in Idaho to use power saws to clear over 500 miles of Wilderness trails over a three-

year period. Internal USFS documents indicate that managers of other Wilderness

Areas could/should seek a similar ability. This would gut the express provision of the

1964 Wilderness Act prohibiting the use of motorized equipment in Wilderness Areas

and set an awful precedent for other motorized activities. See ESWA’s analysis here.

SWEETWATER LAKE DEVELOPMENT. Sweetwater Lake sits at the southern end of

the Flat Tops Wilderness. The development of this land could adversely impact the Flat

Tops Wilderness. See ESWA’s analysis and position here.

SAFE WILDLIFE CROSSINGS. On a positive note, the Colorado Legislature recently

created a fund from voluntary donations made during car registrations to help fund new

wildlife crossings across major highways. Over 7,000 animals are currently killed and

many human lives lost due to collisions between animals and cars each year.

BERLAIMONT DEVELOPMENT. This development north of I-70 from Edwards would

carve up 680 acres of critical wildlife habitat into 19 high end trophy homes and nine

accessory units. The developer is also seeking an exemption from the normal County

requirement that such rural developments have two means of ingress and egress to

ensure that occupants, workers, and first responders can escape any approaching

wildfires. Learn more here.

Your Advocacy Committee urges you to make your position on these issues known to

your federal and state representatives. Please call and/or email them.

US Senate Senator Hickenlooper

hickenlooper.senate.gov

202-224-5941

US Senate Senator Bennet

bennet.senate.gov

202-224-5852

Congressmen Joe Neguse

neguse.house.gov

202-225-2161

Congressmen Jeff Hurd

hurd.house.gov

202-225-4676

Eagle County Commissioner

Matt Scherr

970-328-8605

Eagle County Commissioner

Tom Boyd

970-328-8605

Eagle County Commissioner

Jeanne McQueeney

970-328-8605