I have written a lot about CIEDRA (Wilderness, with side payments in the Boulder and White Cloud Mountains). I have written less about the Owyhee Initiative (Wilderness, with side payments in a huge region of arid, unpopulated steppe and canyon country in SW Idaho).
CIEDRA has already passed the House. This is the first legislative test of the Owyhee Initiative.
These bills are the product of years of negotiations. There is plenty for conservationists to dislike (and like) in both.
Rocky Barker has a feature in the Idaho Statesman today about several female activistis who both hate the legislation, but are on opposite sides of the fence. Article.
Of course, many other women, women in favor of the legislation could have been featured too.
I know a lot of the conservationists who are currently taking different sides on the bills.
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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.
