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Show i r . I r. , - , t, i . .-. a-v.-1"11" - ."' ' ;'" 1 i . . - i Bryce Canyon National Park Ranger Clyde Stonaker investigated a two car collision 10 miles from the entrance at Farview Point last WASHINGTON, D.C. Garfield Gar-field County Commissioner Louise Liston, Moffat County (Colo.) Commissioner T. Wright Dickinson, Dickin-son, and Jackson County (Colo.) Commissioner Dennis Brinker asked members of CongTess to review re-view the way the federal government govern-ment designates wilderness lands because the current process is hurt- ing many of the nation's counties, , particularly in the West. While in Washington D.C. on May 10, the commissioners asked ranking members of Congress for a congressional oversight hearing because they argue the federal government gov-ernment is improperly interpreting the 1964 Wilderness Act. It is the county officials' view that federal agencies have not been following the original intent of the 1964 Wilderness Act in the identification identifi-cation and recommendation of lands to be included in the wilderness system. This failure has significantly signifi-cantly affected county economies and traditional livelihoods, including includ-ing ranching, mining and timber harvesting. Congress has designated wilderness wilder-ness areas that do not conform to the provision of the Act, they say. Wilderness, in the 1964 Act, is defined as lands "untrammeled by man", retaining its primeval charac- Thursday afternoon. The driver cf a rental car was cited for failing to yield at a stop sign and three people were transported by area EMTs. In Washington D.C. County Leaders Push For Oversight Hearings On 1284 Wilderness Act ter and intluence, without permanent perma-nent improvements or human habitation..." habi-tation..." where "man's work is substantially unnoticeable..." A number of wilderness designations have included lands with roads, fences, cabins, radio transmitters, water troughs and other permanent features. "Utah used to be all alone in this struggle," Liston said, "now Colorado is with us." The county officials believe it is time for Congress Con-gress to review the Wilderness Act, the original Congressional intent, federal land management agencies' actions and determine the future of wilderness designations in Amer ica. The purpose of oversight hearings hear-ings would be for Congress to review re-view the process for identification and designation of wilderness, and answer a number of significant issues is-sues that have arisen with the rein-ventory rein-ventory of lands in Colorado and Utah for the possible inclusion in wilderness. The county officials believe these issues have implications implica-tions for counties nationwide. Liston's statement said, "...existing federal statutes ... restrict re-strict development of not only the federal land but the nearby private (See WILDERNESS On Page 3-A) WILDERNESS From Front Page land as well. More important is the fact that as Congress acts to designate desig-nate wilderness in the future in these counties, the economic viability viabil-ity and vitality of these same rural counties is placed in serious jeopardy." jeop-ardy." "Whether it be through development devel-opment or use, restriction placed on the land, clean air impacts, water impacts, buffer zones, or changing county revenue schemes, Western counties will be seriously impacted by wilderness designations. Indeed, the future economic development of an entire region may be forever hampered or lost because of such legislatively mandated wilderness. "The taxes generated from natural natu-ral resource revenues used to run our counties, state and nation may be permanently altered. The question ques-tion that follows then is obviously a serious one: 'Not how much wilderness do we want?' but 'How much wilderness can we afford?' "Wilderness designation in Utah and throughout the West is a many-faceted and complex process. As a result, many are easily led astray by emotional tactics, and by well-organized propaganda tactics. Wilderness is a very romantic, exciting ex-citing word to all those who do not have to live in its shadow and deal with the impacts it creates. "We presently have ongoing wilderness reviews taking place in Utah, Colorado, New .Mexico, Nevada, Ne-vada, and, in the near future, in Wyoming. Some of us have just recently attended Wilderness Rein-ventory Rein-ventory Open Houses. We've heard the agencies' explanations and have carefully reviewed their claims of authority, but we're still here today to question these authorities and whether they are following Congressional Con-gressional intent." |