NREPA is by far the best Wilderness Bill out there, but it has always been criticised as politically infeasible.
Now, however, the political climate has changed, although NREPA hardly has a steady and strong political wind behind it.
Songwriter, singer Carole King who has lived near Clayton, Idaho (between Challis and Stanley) for many years has been a leading supporter and financial backer of the legislation.
Rocky Barker as a blog on it. Carole King and supporters finally get House hearing on ambitious wilderness bill. Idaho Statesman.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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An Ecosystem Protection Act anywhere in the world is a victory for humankind, who is part of the animal kingdom.
It is but I doubt the Democrats have the guts to really push for it.
NREPA strikes me as a great idea that would fully protect intact ecosystems. I would love to see this bill become law. The U.S. is down to its last few roadless areas, and they all should be protected from commercial development as they shelter our last unspoiled wilderness not already protected.
However, it will never happen. It will set aside too much land for the western Republicans to support, and will never survive Bush’s veto pen. The criticism of the bill being politically infeasible is absolutely correct.
The Democrats are making small gains in some of the western mountain states, and I doubt if they will risk that momentum over this bill.
In the early 1990’s, I never thought that “wolf reintroduction” had a chance. The urbaniztion of the west– although a double edge sword–may create more progressive politics. For those westerners who don’t support the “Big Wild”, they should take a trip to the crowded privatized east and see how they like “those apples”. Recently, I had a converstion with some folks from South Carolina–one of the more urbanized states–who were moving to the west because of the remaining open spaces. I don’t understand why so many westerners appear to hate “physical freedom & space”!