President signs legislation creating new Idaho wilderness

[IDemo]

Source: KBOI

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — President Barack Obama on Friday signed a wilderness bill protecting 275,000 acres in central Idaho.

Obama signed the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act in the Oval Office with Republican Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho and others behind him.

The president noted that Simpson was able to pass the legislation without a single no vote.

U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Julie Thomas says boundary signs for the three wilderness areas in the Boulder and White Cloud mountains could start going up in a month.



Read more: http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/Idaho-Boulder-White-Clouds-321058701.html

[tabasco]

1. Thank you, President Obama.

This will help wildlife, which is rapidly vanishing from this planet.

[Andrej28]

13. He gets paid.

You already thanked him.

[geek tragedy]

2. so when does Simpson get primaried by a Koch Brothers candidate? nt

[left-of-center2012]

3. When Obama did this along the NM-Mexico border

Right wingers claimed Obama was providing a refuge for illegals and drug cartel to hide from law enforcement.

[Angry Dragon]

4. not much of Idaho that is not state or national park

[maxsolomon]

6. If you meant National Forest or BLM land, then yes

I'm trying to think of the National Parks in Idaho, and its just a smidge of Yellowstone and Grand Teton IIRC.

Craters of the Moon is a National Monument.

[Angry Dragon]

7. I used the wrong words .... sorry

[maxsolomon]

8. Out in the Mountain West

there's a lot of "the Fedurl Gubmit owns all the land" rhetoric - Cliven Bundy types have a lot of resentment over it. there's a reason, though: its essentially useless to anything but grazing, and that destroys the ecosystems.

sorry if I'm a schoolmarm sometimes.

[Angry Dragon]

9. nothing wrong with a schoolmarm

[tabasco]

11. Idahoans Value Public Lands

Idahoans Value Public Lands

Several recent studies and surveys show overwhelming public support for national parks and monuments, refuges and open range, sagebrush steppe, and rugged canyon landscapes encompassed by public lands. Polls of voters in the Rocky Mountain West show that people recognize the benefits of public lands – from the money and jobs generated by tourism, hunting, fishing, and other recreation to the high quality of life that comes with living in scenic areas with clean air and easy access to vacation spots. Businesses surveyed recognize that proximity to open spaces, wildlife, and public parks gives them an advantage in attracting highly qualified employees looking for a desirable place to live and work. Westerners also strongly identify with that most American of ideas – that public lands provide each of us a place where we are free to hike, cast a line, watch eagles soar, or track an elk through snowy woods.

Elected Officials Are Out of Touch

Far too many of Idaho’s public lands are under attack by Congress and the state legislature. For example, throughout the 112th and 113th Congresses, elected lawmakers introduced dozens of bills that sought to roll back protections for public lands. In addition, Idaho is one of seven western states that have passed, introduced, or explored legisla­tion in the past year demanding that the federal government turn over millions of acres of federal public lands to the state. If the sponsors of these proposals succeed in their aims, these lands will be used in whatever way the new owner – state or private – wants to use them. This generally means maximizing private profits through resource extraction rather than managing for the long-term benefit and use of the public. To learn more about why these proposals are problematic, read the full report, Valuing Our Western Public Lands: Safeguarding Our Economy and Way of Life.

- See more at: http://www.ourpubliclands.org/public-lands-report-id#sthash.kpuhNhYc.dpuf

[raven mad]

14. Looked at Alaska recently?

Idaho rocks - just enough cities and towns.

[maxsolomon]

5. Some freedumb-loving Idahoans are going to have Aneurysms over this

1. Obama did it.
2. It makes Environmentalists happy, and they're against anything that does that, out of pure spite.

I remember hearing US2 locals against the Wild Sky Wilderness in WA before it was established. "I train mah sled dogs on them roads!" Ummm, its WILDERNESS because THERE ARE NO ROADS.

[shenmue]

10. Yes!!

[leftyladyfrommo]

12. Yea!

Now let's do a lot more of these.