DeGette bill seeks to add wilderness protections to 715,000 acres in state

Legislation would add 325 acres of land near Maroon Bells area to wilderness

Congresswoman Diana DeGette has reintroduced a bill that aims to designate 715,000 acres in 32 areas in Colorado as wilderness including 325 acres adjacent to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness west of Aspen, and another 21,900 acres south of Carbondale.

In a press conference on Wednesday morning, DeGette, who has championed wilderness legislation since 1999, announced her plans to roll out the Colorado Wilderness Act of 2015.

"The act will preserve a wide range of wilderness-quality public land, including high mountain peaks and critical lower-elevation red rock canyons," a statement from DeGette, a Democrat representing Denver, noted.

According to the Wilderness Act of 1964, wilderness is "recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."

The designation includes a prohibition on commercial enterprise, industrial activities, the construction of roads, and use of motorized and mechanized vehicles in the area. It's the "gold standard for public lands protection," said Will Roush, conservation advocate for the Carbondale-based Wilderness Workshop.

According to the Bureau of Land Management's website, Eagle Mountain (9,937 feet) is a wilderness study area that "abuts the eastern edge of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and offers … views of the surrounding Elk Range of the Rocky Mountains. Eagle Mountain itself is at the eastern terminus of the mountainous ridge that connects Haystack Mountain, Mount Daly, and Capitol Peak."

The bill would also protect 21,900 acres of land in the Thompson Creek/ Assignation Ridge area that straddles the line between Pitkin and Garfield counties. Thompson Creek is on BLM land, while Assignation Ridge is under the Forest Service's purview.

Roush said that area is home to abundant wildlife, diverse flora, and a number of the adjacent ranchers already have conservation easements on their property.

"It's a quick way to get into the backcountry and is quite close to Carbondale," he said.

Roush added that Tuesday's passage of a wilderness bill through Congress that protects 275,000 acres in central Idaho's Boulder-White Clouds region is an auspicious sign for DeGette's legislation.

"There's movement on wilderness in Congress," he said. "It's hopeful."

In an official statement, Wilderness Workshop supported the legislation, noting that the Forest Service has recommended the Assignation Ridge area for wilderness designation.

"Wilderness Workshop encourages the other members of the Colorado delegation to work with Congresswoman DeGette to protect the lands in her bill as well as other areas deserving of wilderness protection across the state," the statement noted.

Citing a 2015 State of the Rockies poll, the Wilderness Workshop statement pointed out that 84 percent of Colorado residents have indicated that protecting public lands is a high priority for the welfare of future generations.

"Congresswoman DeGette's bill will help achieve this priority," the statement added.

The majority of the acreage in the bill is on BLM land, with some on Forest Service property, but most of it has already been managed as wilderness for the last 20 years.

DeGette said the focus is to protect lower-lying canyon areas that provide a longer recreation season for outdoor enthusiasts, and needed habitat and protection for wildlife.

"[These areas also] provide a buffer against climate change," she added.

The proposed wilderness in the bill amounts to about 1 percent of the state's total area, and would leave over 90 percent of BLM-managed lands unaffected and open to oil and gas drilling, mining, off-road vehicle use and other development, according to DeGette.

She added that she spent the last week horseback riding and fly fishing on the Flat Tops Wilderness, and noted that the best protection for these delicate areas is to designate them as wilderness.

"We need to act to preserve our remaining wilderness," DeGette said. "I strongly believe that this small portion of land needs to be preserved for future generations."

Elsewhere on the Western Slope, the legislation would also cover the Castle Peak (roughly 17,000 acres), Bull Gulch (about 14,600 acres) and Pisgah Mountain (around 14,000 acres) areas near Eagle, as well as some land around Deep Creek on the Flat Tops.

Johnny Le Coq, CEO and founder of Denver-based Fishpond, took part in the conference and said the economic impact of having unspoiled wilderness areas on outdoor recreation is "significant," adding that it enriches the entire workforce by attracting "great talent to our state."

He noted that wilderness is important to the state's identity, and that land must to be put aside not only for recreation but also for the wildlife that needs it to survive.

"If we don't save it now, it won't be here for us in the future," Le Coq said. "We need to lock down as much as we can. I cannot stress how important this is, not only for [wildlife] but also Colorado's economy."

DeGette noted that the legislation is "a citizen-based proposal" and has support from county commissions, business and residents across Colorado.

"Congresswoman DeGette understands the need for balanced use of our public lands, yet is visionary in recognizing that there are some special and unique lands that should be set aside and preserved in perpetuity as wilderness," Pitkin County Commissioner George Newman said in the DeGette statement. "These are such lands."

A public comment period for the bill was launched on DeGette's website, and will remain open for 90 days.

"I encourage all Coloradans to give their feedback," she said.

When asked why now is the time to push for this legislation, DeGette replied that between increased tourism and pressure to develop these lands by the oil and gas industry, there's an urgency to protect these areas before they are lost forever.

"We need it for business. We need it for our children. We need it for our future. And we need it for America," DeGette said.