NREPA is a grand wilderness vision and more, but had fallen on hard times in the Republican congresses.
NREPA is back, with a greater chance, now that Congress has turned greener. Its name has been changed to the “Rockies Prosperity Act.” Here is the bill’s text.
Bill Schneider at New West has a favorable review. Ending the War Over Wilderness. By Bill Schneider.
A nameless meadow in the Nameless Creek roadless area. Boise National Forest. This, among hundreds of other roadless ares, would be designated Wilderness by the Rockies Prosperity Act. Copyright Ralph Maughan
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Ralph –
I suggest you invite a NREPA person to provide an update on how this Bill may differ from its predecessor.
Of critical importance is that NREPA addresses some of the key biological needs of wildlife – like corrdiors for wildlife movement, something that has been sorely lacking in the recent past crop of Wilderness Bills. I think the corridors were in the past version, too – but that the newest Bill may be more inclusive of BLM lands … which are by and large under tremendous threat from weeds, roads, you name it – and being more arid – are less resilient to any disturbance.
AND I think it is so stupid to try to deal with most wild lands in the West on an artificial state boundary by artificial state boundary way …
KT
According the AWR website, the main difference with the new NREPA is an economic component based upon forest/land restoration activities. I agree with this change. Check it out.
Robert