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'I't-,i, II" l!I \.,.'.... .~ \I \...!...,to.....,...: . . Report of Public Involvement ;,Ieetings Elk PUd and Scenic River Study Public involvement meetings were held in Denver on April 3 and in Steamboat Springs on April 6 to inforM and father comr1ents from the public concerning the possible inclusion of the Ell~ River in the National l!lild and Scenic P..i ver SystelJ. The fleetings proved successful in both informinc those in attendance and receiving their response to the study. Sixteen registered at the Denver Meeting; 42 in Steamboat Springs. Landowners along the Elk P..iver constituted about two-thirds of those attendinc both lneetings. The others in attendance represented goverTIQent agencies, companies, enviro~ental organizations, and individ- uals interested in the study. r iany concerns were expressed during the meetincs, . but only four emerged as major issues: reasons for the study; extent of con- demnation; extent, provisions, and consequences of easements; and the Hinman Park Reservoir proposed by Public Service Company of Colorado. These are discussed below. Reasons for Study Congress, through the 1968 IJild and Scenic Rivers Act Ilnd subsequent amenuments, mandated a study of the Elk River for possible designation as a wild, scenic, and/or recreational river. TI1e 1968 Act chances national water resources policy by declaring that "... the established national policy of dam and other construction at appropriate sections . of the rivers of the llilited States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes." In 1975 an amenULlent to the act directed that the Elk River ,.... from its source to Clark... be studied and the report submitted to the President and Congress by October, 1079. At that time Coneress will act upon the study report, and mayor may not follow its recomnendations. Associated I<ith the question of study purpose was the question of "".'hy study the El1~ River inside the lit. Zirl~el 11ilderness Area? \'IlIat purpose \~ould double designation of those lands serve?" The reasons for a "double desienation" ster.ls from a "uouble Mandate" hy Congress. In 1064 Conr.ress passed the !'lilderness A.ct directing that all existinp; .',rilder- ness", ';wild", or "canoe" areas be included in the National IHlderness Preservation System. The lit. Zirkel ~Iild Area was such an area, and consequently was desienated as !lilJerness. Ten years later Congress issued a Dandate to study sone of the same lands for inclusion in the Natonal 1"Iild and Scenic f{ivers Syster;tu thus, the "double ,",andate." There are differences in Wilderness designation and wild river designa- tion. For instance, reserviors can be built in a Ililderness, but not on a wild river; timber can be harvested along a wild river but not in a .'Ii lderness. 1