Were he still alive, our father, Wayne Owens, who served the Salt Lake City area in the U.S. House of Representatives, would be cheering the latest steps for preservation of our municipal water supply. Rep. Jim Matheson recently introduced legislation to permanently protect more than 26,000 acres of national forest lands in the city watershed along the Wasatch Front.
I want to thank the writer of a recent opinion column, Paul Deason, for approaching the question of protecting some of our public lands in Doña Ana County in such a rational and straightforward way.
Yes, we have the U.S. border to the south of us, but we should not let this fact and the ongoing work to strengthen border protection and enforcement confuse or delay the progress of Sen. Bingaman's conservation proposals for some of our public lands. Too often, this is a topic that lends itself to blatant misrepresentation and fear mongering, and we have seen too much of that.
I'm a passionate environmentalist. I'm also realistic about the urgent need to develop renewable energy
On Earth Day, Adam Bradley set off on Nevada's longest hike - a grueling, 501-mile trek from Las Vegas to the Nevada-Idaho border. He brought food, water, a camera crew and his own wits and determination. The hike will have taken him about two weeks. (Hey, he's not one of the nation's best through-hikers for nothing.)
Why is Bradley doing this? To document a wild Nevada landscape that will be changed forever - scarred, in fact - by a future transmission line corridor.
Monday's letter to the editor, "Gems campaign is deceitful," was a great testament to our right to free speech. However, the claims made therein were false!
One only need go to the Hidden Gems website, http://www.whiteriverwild.org/, to find that the intent to protect our National Forest is based on a wide range of measures, from wildlife protection and habitat integrity, maintaining roadless areas, promoting ecosystem diversity and watershed protections to preventing unwanted roads from logging and mining.
When I am so lucky to afford myself the time for remote adventure, I have one ultimate goal. To take in the quiet. It is a misconception that Alaska's size should remedy the chance for quiet solitude. It can actually be difficult to escape the buzz of air traffic, the road system and the fellow human encounter or some kind of unfortunate footprint remaining.
Judging by the civil and substantive discussion and considerable support from Montanans for the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, it may well be one of the most relevant and timely pieces of natural resource legislation to grace our great state in a very long time.
As part of continuing outreach to citizens to help everyone understand what the Hidden Gems wilderness proposal is, the campaign has placed a set of revised maps in the Vail and Eagle libraries and at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards.
Some opponents of Hidden Gems do not like recent poll results that show overwhelming support for this citizen-initiated proposal. Rather than critique the substance, however, they attack the messenger. That is their right, but it doesn't change the substance.
The poll was conducted by RBI Strategies and Research, an established Colorado firm with a track record of more than 20 years of conducting or overseeing polling in the 2nd Congressional District.
I am a fourth-generation Coloradan. I was born into a ranching and mining family, grew up as a ski racer, and became a rancher and businessman.
I have been a part of Colorado's heritage my entire life. I currently spend my time between my home and business in Vail and my ranch near Powderhorn in Gunnison County. Skiing, hunting, horseback riding and hiking throughout Colorado is as big a part of my life now as it was when I was a kid.
I have seen significant changes since then -- some for the better, many for the worse.
I am a supporter of the Hidden Gems Wilderness proposal. I also support a healthy debate over a Wilderness proposal because I think that is how Wilderness bills get better.
But the recent announcement by the Basalt Fire District (BFD) that it will spend $50,000 of taxpayer money to hire a consultant to help them build a case against the designation of new Wilderness on Basalt Mountain seems to go beyond honest debate.
Opinion: Owens would cheer Wasatch wilderness proposal
May 17th, 2010Were he still alive, our father, Wayne Owens, who served the Salt Lake City area in the U.S. House of Representatives, would be cheering the latest steps for preservation of our municipal water supply. Rep. Jim Matheson recently introduced legislation to permanently protect more than 26,000 acres of national forest lands in the city watershed along the Wasatch Front.
Letter: Wilderness argument
May 14th, 2010I want to thank the writer of a recent opinion column, Paul Deason, for approaching the question of protecting some of our public lands in Doña Ana County in such a rational and straightforward way.
Yes, we have the U.S. border to the south of us, but we should not let this fact and the ongoing work to strengthen border protection and enforcement confuse or delay the progress of Sen. Bingaman's conservation proposals for some of our public lands. Too often, this is a topic that lends itself to blatant misrepresentation and fear mongering, and we have seen too much of that.
Opinion: An Energetic Yes
May 13th, 2010I'm a passionate environmentalist. I'm also realistic about the urgent need to develop renewable energy
On Earth Day, Adam Bradley set off on Nevada's longest hike - a grueling, 501-mile trek from Las Vegas to the Nevada-Idaho border. He brought food, water, a camera crew and his own wits and determination. The hike will have taken him about two weeks. (Hey, he's not one of the nation's best through-hikers for nothing.)
Why is Bradley doing this? To document a wild Nevada landscape that will be changed forever - scarred, in fact - by a future transmission line corridor.
Letter: Gems' cause is righteous
May 12th, 2010Monday's letter to the editor, "Gems campaign is deceitful," was a great testament to our right to free speech. However, the claims made therein were false!
One only need go to the Hidden Gems website, http://www.whiteriverwild.org/, to find that the intent to protect our National Forest is based on a wide range of measures, from wildlife protection and habitat integrity, maintaining roadless areas, promoting ecosystem diversity and watershed protections to preventing unwanted roads from logging and mining.
Opinion: Make noise for a quiet place: Support wilderness in ANWR
May 12th, 2010When I am so lucky to afford myself the time for remote adventure, I have one ultimate goal. To take in the quiet. It is a misconception that Alaska's size should remedy the chance for quiet solitude. It can actually be difficult to escape the buzz of air traffic, the road system and the fellow human encounter or some kind of unfortunate footprint remaining.
Letter: Tester listens to forest bill critics, makes changes
May 10th, 2010Judging by the civil and substantive discussion and considerable support from Montanans for the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, it may well be one of the most relevant and timely pieces of natural resource legislation to grace our great state in a very long time.
Letter: Public shaping Gems
May 10th, 2010As part of continuing outreach to citizens to help everyone understand what the Hidden Gems wilderness proposal is, the campaign has placed a set of revised maps in the Vail and Eagle libraries and at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards.
Letter: Hidden Gems poll valid
May 10th, 2010Some opponents of Hidden Gems do not like recent poll results that show overwhelming support for this citizen-initiated proposal. Rather than critique the substance, however, they attack the messenger. That is their right, but it doesn't change the substance.
The poll was conducted by RBI Strategies and Research, an established Colorado firm with a track record of more than 20 years of conducting or overseeing polling in the 2nd Congressional District.
Opinion: Wilderness matters; why I'm for Hidden Gems
May 7th, 2010I am a fourth-generation Coloradan. I was born into a ranching and mining family, grew up as a ski racer, and became a rancher and businessman.
I have been a part of Colorado's heritage my entire life. I currently spend my time between my home and business in Vail and my ranch near Powderhorn in Gunnison County. Skiing, hunting, horseback riding and hiking throughout Colorado is as big a part of my life now as it was when I was a kid.
I have seen significant changes since then -- some for the better, many for the worse.
Letter: Wilderness won't hamper firefighting
May 5th, 2010I am a supporter of the Hidden Gems Wilderness proposal. I also support a healthy debate over a Wilderness proposal because I think that is how Wilderness bills get better.
But the recent announcement by the Basalt Fire District (BFD) that it will spend $50,000 of taxpayer money to hire a consultant to help them build a case against the designation of new Wilderness on Basalt Mountain seems to go beyond honest debate.