What: Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act Panel Discussion When:
Thursday, November 15, 6:30 p.m. Where: 1912 Building Community Center (412
East Third St.) Moscow, ID Panelists: Sam Mace, Save Our Wild Salmon, Spokane
[1] Dean Stewart, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Moscow [2] Susan Drumheller,
Idaho Conservation League, Sandpoint [3] Gary Macfarlane, Friends of the
Clearwater, Moscow [4] The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act,
introduced into the 110th Congress as HR 1975 this past Spring, enjoys
widespread citizen support and bipartisan sponsorship in the House of
Representatives. The bill had a Congressional hearing October 18, 2007 during
which Republicans and Democrats spoke in support of the bill. Supporters
include long time Michigan Republican Representative Dale Kildee, Nick Rahall
(D-WV), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Raul Grijalva
(D-AZ), chair of the subcommittee where the bill resides. Designated
wilderness makes up less than 5% of the surface area of the continental
United States. It is managed by the various agencies of the Department of
Interior (NPS, BLM, USFWS) as well as by the Department of Agriculture's
National Forest System. In total, Wilderness makes up approximately 16% of
these federal public lands. Wilderness is the most conservative existing
public land designation. The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act would
designate the inventoried roadless areas in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, as well
as Eastern Oregon, and Washington as Wilderness. These are areas largely
unchanged since the passage of Lewis and Clark 200 years ago. There has been
no net loss of species (plant or animal) in the U.S. Northern Rockies
bioregion. This allows for proactive conservation methods, not applicable
anywhere else south of Canada. As much of the conservation work in the lower
48 states uses the tools of restoration and rehabilitation to mitigate damage
already done to the land, NREPA conserves resources proactively, ensuring
clean flowing headwaters streams for people and fish and wildlife, alike. The
bill is supported by many native people throughout the Northern Rockies as
well as by a growing number of Christians concerned with environmental
stewardship, including Dean Stewart, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in
Moscow, one of the evening's panelists. As Rep. Dale Kildee, a Roman Catholic
who has supported the bill since it was first introduced in 1994, stated at
the October 18 hearing, "Let's leave it as God made it." The Northern Rockies
Ecosystem Protection Act is also supported by hundreds of fisherman, hunters,
and a significant number of physically disabled citizens including Potlatch,
ID resident, Marc Lawrence. According to Marc, "I am a person with a physical
disability, and I can no longer backpack. But I support wild, public lands
remaining wild and roadless, even though my access is then limited." Marc
first dreamed of traveling to Idaho for the World Boy Scout Jamboree in 1967,
held at Farragut State Park. Over 12,000 scouts camped at the park and
experienced an Idaho before the ramped up logging programs of the 1970s and
80s. About the missed experience, Marc recalled, "I didn't get to go, so wild
Idaho remained a far off dream for a boy from Illinois. Thirty years later,
(while driving the perimeter of the Central Idaho wild country) even from my
truck camping distance, I was grateful to know and to behold that majestic
wild landscape, grateful that it had remained wild and roadless. I didn't
feel sorry for myself or think the government should, now that I have a
disability, accommodate me with roads and access. I was a richer man for
these wild, roadless places still being here, far more than I would have been
if I'd found roads punched in to provide me with access." This Thursday's
panel discussion will explore how NREPA will provide protection for resident
and anadromous fish species, give details on how the bill works on the ground
in the wild Clearwater country, provide perspective for pro-Wilderness
Christians, and also provide the details for wilderness protection in the
Boulder-White Clouds.
[1] http://www.wildsalmon.org/about/staff.cfm
[2] http://users.moscow.com/elc/contact.htm
[3] http://www.wildidaho.org/about.php
[4] http://www.friendsoftheclearwater.org/node/59
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