U.S. Rep. John Salazar on Thursday introduced a bill that would add wilderness designations to more than 60,000 acres in the San Juan Mountains.
The San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act would protect 61,682 acres in San Miguel, Ouray and San Juan counties. He said the bill emerged through cooperation with local governments.
"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," Salazar said in a news release.
Edward Stern, Salazar's deputy press secretary, said the bill would "provide permanent protection for some of Colorado's most renowned views and mountains, including Mount Sneffels and Wilson Peak."
Jeff Widen with the Wilderness Society's Durango-based Wilderness Support Center, which offers support to wilderness groups in developing policy, said Thursday was a good day.
"I'm giddy, he said. "It's so rewarding to see it all culminate and come together in a bill that really has a pretty good chance of passing."
The bill's now looking for a sponsor in the Senate, but Widen expressed optimism that either Sen. Michael Bennet or Sen. Mark Udall will step up. Widen said he's happy with conversations he's had with both offices of the Colorado Democrats.
Widen has worked in wilderness policy for more than 20 years and said he has been involved in developing more than 12 wilderness-protection bills. Key in developing a wilderness-protection bill that will pass, he said, is wide-ranging local support, to avoid scaring away national politicians worried about upsetting key constituencies. Widen doesn't expect that to be a problem here, with a strong coalition of rural, recreational, environmental and governmental leaders already in place.
Under the bill, land will be added to the Lizard Head Wilderness Area, the Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area and the McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area. About 21,000 acres in San Juan and San Miguel counties, including Ice Lakes basin outside of Silverton and the high alpine peaks near Ophir, will be designated as the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area. About 6,000 acres will be withdrawn from eligibility for mineral leasing in Naturita Canyon.
The bill has been in development for about two years. Widen, who helped draft the proposed bill, said credit for getting the ball rolling should go to the Telluride group Sheep Mountain Alliance for bringing suggested designations to the attention of San Miguel County commissioners.
From there, he said, the ball kept rolling, gathering momentum. The Silverton Mountain School and the San Juan Citizens Alliance started working on the project, recruiting other nonprofits and getting rural interests on board.
Widen said he knows now isn't typically a point in the policy process for celebrating.
"I'm very optimistic," said Widen. "I'm not even cautiously optimistic. I'm openly optimistic
gandrews@durangoherald.com
