Scotchman Peak Opposition Grows
In the letters to the editor supporting the proposed Scotchman Peak federal “wilderness designation” the common thread running through them is that the designation will ensure the preservation of the environment’s beauty. Will that preservation disappear without a wilderness designation? Supporters and the director of Friends of Scotchman Peak admit that “No change will result due to this legislation”. Nor is there a smidgen of an indication that the land “could potentially be sold to developers”, as the FSPW website states.
So we can reasonably call this a solution in search of a problem.
Thankfully, a great number of current elected officials as well as state and local candidates have realized this and taken a stand against it:
• The Clark Fork City Council, representing the community closest to the land, unanimously voted against it.
• The Idaho State Senate Natural Resources Committee unanimously voted against it.
• The Natural Resources Committee of the Idaho House of Representatives voted 15-2 against it.
• The full Idaho House and Senate voted against it.
• The last WHEREAS of Idaho House Joint Memorial 14, signed March 14, 2018, reads, “Several years ago, advisory votes relating to a suggested new national monument designation and a wilderness designation in Idaho were held in a number of potentially affected counties in central and eastern Idaho, both showing over ninety percent opposition to such designations.”
• Further, the current plan of a wilderness designation is opposed by the following state and county Republican candidates: Scott, Dixon, Herndon, Ahrens, Woodward, Boeck, McDonald, and Bradshaw.
The Bonner County Commissioners are split on the issue, with Commissioner McDonald opposing it and Bailey and Connolly favoring it. So they decided to place the designation question on the May 15 primary ballot as an advisory vote.
Opponents immediately questioned the wording of the question as lacking clarity because it omitted the word “federal” from “wilderness designation” and only asks voters whether they favor the designation, not whether they support or oppose it. Both Bailey and Connolly, despite the urging of citizens and the Bonner County Clerk, who is also the chief elections officer, declined to provide that clarity. The justifications for their denial were rigid and pedantic, and because both favor the wilderness designation, raised suspicions of ballot engineering.
However, on May 15, you, the voters will have the ultimate word. Please turn out for this important vote that could lock up nearly 14,000 acres of Idaho land – forever.
Anita Perry
Sandpoint
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For those of us who are 2nd Amendment supporters, our Bonner County Sheriff Wheeler made the biggest reason apparent last night in Blanchard as to why we shouldn’t support this. Being under Fed control would allow for the option of closing the area to ALL guns. Will that happen for sure? Not for sure. But, there being the possibility of the powers that be (those powers not being us) to say “no guns allowed” – is not worth it. How many times have the Feds done over-reach? Too many to count.
The way it is now, there are enough hikers going up Scotchman’s Peak to make the goats up there almost tame. When ever that happens some one is going to get hurt or killed by one of the “Tame” goats as happened in the Olympic park. The liberals hikers tend to love something to death instead of just enjoying the wildlife the all think they are Grizzly Adams and try to be friends with the animals.
In a follow up from Western Washington on the posting of the World Heritage Site signs:
“Interestingly enough, NPS put the World Heritage Site plaque on the side of the visitor center at the Hoh Rain Forest instead of the more frequently accessed centers at the base of the Hurricane Ridge Road or the one at the Hurricane Ridge parking lot. Seems at least one of the leadership employees at the time knew it could become a lightning rod.”
All the things people have said in negative comments about the loss of the wilderness forever have been denied by the prevaricators on the left. But, many people know that this is just the opening move – that’s how the liberals work.
I just read that in the Olympic National Park where this same controversy has been ongoing for years the signs designating the American park a world heritage site in accordance with UN Agenda 21- 2030 have been posted.