Colorado - 62,000 More Acres of "Wilderness"

Article by . . .
Telluride Daily Planet (CO)
Matthew Beaudin

Salazar presents 62,000-acre San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act

Congressman John Salazar , D-Colo., introduced the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday in Washington, paving the way for more protection of more than 60,000 acres in the Telluride region.

As proposed, the bill would protect 61,682 acres of public land on portions of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest, the San Juan National Forest and the San Juan Bureau of Land Management Resource Area. All of the acreage within the wilderness proposal is in San Miguel, Ouray and San Juan Counties.

"It's great news," said Joan May, San Miguel County Commissioner. "We're really excited. I'm really excited."

The bill represents a victory for conservationists, who sought more extensive protections surrounding lands in 2007. Three counties and multiple agencies worked to draft the bill.

"It's just beautiful, beautiful terrain that should be protected as wilderness," May said. She credits Salazar with an olive-branch approach to drafting the bill.

"I think that Salazar's done so much work ahead of time. He's gone out of his way to contact people who might be in opposition. He's done his homework."

The legislation would expand the existing Mt. Sneffels and Lizard Head Wilderness Areas, establish the McKenna Peak Wilderness in western San Miguel County, create the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area along the alpine ridge between San Miguel and San Juan Counties and prohibit oil and gas development in Naturita Canyon near Norwood.

Under this proposed legislation the following areas will receive Wilderness Area designations:

3,170 acres will be added to the existing Lizard Head wilderness area by the Blackface, Sunshine and Wilson additions.

8,375 acres will be added to the existing Mt. Sneffels Wilderness Area by the Liberty Bell and Last Dollar areas.

13,231 acres will be added to the existing Mt. Sneffels Wilderness Area by the Whitehouse area.

8,614 acres of the McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area will be designated as wilderness.

The bill will also create two other protection areas:

21,697 acres in San Juan and San Miguel County including Ice Lakes basin outside of Silverton and the high alpine peaks near Ophir will be designated as the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area. Existing uses including heli-skiing will be allowed to continue indefinitely, but no new roads or other development will be permitted.

6,595 acres will be withdrawn from eligibility for mineral leasing in Naturita Canyon. No other uses in the canyon will be impacted.

In a release, Salazar said: "San Miguel, Ouray and San Juan County representatives have expressed their hope that a portion of the natural lands that surround them will be given a wilderness designation for future generations... These are the lands which define the character and spirit of our great state and nation and as such, it is my honor today to introduce the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Bill."

The proposal grew over two years to include different lands and compromises, such as an agreement with Telluride Helitrax, allowing access to some of the lands.

"The San Juan bill shows what can happen when we all come together to ensure the future of this wonderful place we call home," said Hilary White, executive director of the Sheep Mountain Alliance, in a press release. "We have a responsibility to safeguard these special places for generations to come and Congressman Salazar's bill does just that. Thousands of hours have gone into developing this legislation and I hope people will acknowledge the complete and thorough job that Congressman Salazar has done and support this effort."