WSP01093 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

;)~[j553 Rocky Mountain News Fri.,lan.19.199O Armstrong wilds bill widens political gap He differs with Wirth over who gets water By Janet Day NftlJs Enuiro1l"'nllal WriUT Sen. William Armstrong won't be camping in Colorado's back collntry when he retires from Con. gress at year's end. yet he hopes one of his last official acts will be designating a Connecticut-size chunk of added wilderness areas. "My days of sleeping in tents ended with my discharge from the J Army," Armstrong said. "Hiking and (camping) isn't the only stake in wilderness areas. We all have an interest because it's good for the state," With yesterday's unveiling of his wilderness bill. Armstrong hoped to move the lo-year battle- over C<>lorado's wild ar~s one step closer to resolution. Instead. he may have pushed it a step back by further defining the differences between his bill and that of Sen. Tim Wirth, D-Colo. No wilderness bill is likely to be ap- proved by Congress without the support of both senators. Armstrong's biD would desig- nate 14 more wilderness areas, adding 471,875 acres to the exist- ing 2 million acres of protected land in Colorado. The bill also would create another land classifI- cation, making 122.300 acres "na. honal recreation areas" open to motorized vehkJes. Wirth's legislation, introduced in July, would designate 18 more wilderness areas totalling 751,260 acres. The boundary disputes are mi. nor compared to the differences the two men and their supporters have over wilderness water rights. No new wilderness areas have been designated in Colorado since 1980 because of the dispute. Wirth, backed by environmental and conservation groups. proposed federally reserved water rights to protect the natural habitat. Armstrong, supported by ranch- ers, miners and water developers, has opposed such water rights and yesterday proposed letting the ARMSTRONG'S PROPOSAL Wilderness bill proposed yester. day by Sen. William Armstrong. R.CoIo. . DeslP'tes471,87Saaesot high mountam land as 14 federal wildefhess areas. . Creates a ~ land cJassdica. tion, designating 122.300 acres as natiOnal recreation areas open to motorized vehicles not allOwed in Wilderness areas. . Pro'f'ides no federal water rights but allows land managers to apply for stream.now protec- tion through the Colorado Water Conservation Board. . Supported byorganizatioos representing the mining and tim. berinduStries, off--roadvehicJe interests, tanners. developers and many municipal goVem- ments. WIRTH'S PROPOSAL - Wik1emessbiD ~by Sen. '~ Tim Wirth. D.CoIo., July 1989 . DeslClUltes 7S1.260 acres of ! i high mountain land as 18 wilder.. ness areas. . leaftS 76. J 28 acres in study status fof future consideration as wilderness areas. . ","ides .... fedet'aI water rights that must be obtained UYough the Cok:lfado watercoort system and be junk)r to existing water rights. . Sap,orted by environmental and conservation groups. federal government acquire ~ter for streams through the ColOrado Water Conservation Board. But the board's power is discre- tionary and bases stream flows only on the amounts needed to keep fish alive. TIle Sierra Club in 1984 WOD a ruling from a federal judge in oen- ver giving water rights to wilder. ness areas. but the Reagan admin- istration appealed, and no ruling has been issued on that case.