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<br />SLV"Land .UseLeadership Forum meets
<br />
<br />By YVONNE SMITH
<br />ALAMOSA - Loss (If local land
<br />'comtrol brought n number of individu.
<br />nls and agencies to the table Monday to
<br />discuss government efforts and per-
<br />sonal rights. .
<br />j' Representatives from Colorado Tim- :
<br />'.~r..4\c:C~lllcmel\'8 As~i~lion'. Boards '0::
<br />
<br />of County Commissioners, represents- .
<br />tl'VeafTOm U.S.SenatorAUard'sofflce, a
<br />representative for U.S. Rep. Scott Me
<br />Innis, Farm Bureau representatives,
<br />membeu ofthc SLV Wool Growers As-
<br />sociation, Colorado Mining, and Legal.
<br />Represent:ation:by Ben Raley;.joined
<br />r~ationt\lis.t:s. Rio Grand~ W stet Con-,:.
<br />
<br />servancy Distdct Representative Ralph
<br />Curtis, and many others at the Holiday
<br />Inn to discuss land use issues'of concern
<br />to all the groups.
<br />They are aWAre thAt there is R smAil
<br />windowoCresponse time tothc MRoAdless
<br />.Initiative," and inCorminc the public
<br />was of major concern. '
<br />
<br />Sheep industry in bad shape .
<br />Rick Mc Cormick for the SLV Wool Growers Association stated,
<br />Others want control of Valley lands '. "The sheep industry is in bad shape. the Gore and Clinton toriO
<br />Attorney Rnley noled, "John is right. Federal Agencies nnd envi. '. issues has hit lamb export greatly. In 195030,000 sheep were sent
<br />ronmentnlists wont control of lands. The Endangered Specics Act, ;.'. out per day, in 1999 it is down t.o a :semi load a. year, State
<br />the Clean Water Action Plan, the Antiquities Act 011 playa part in .... Aniendincnt 14'which allowed coyotes to Increase.has lI'npaclcd the
<br />the contrn1. indust.ry greatly~ Rick alated, "He’s staying in the industry
<br />"Our Colorado Congressmen arc fighting tor us, but. arc outnum. long enough to be classified an ~ndangered species then his sJ:aeep,
<br />bered," Raley said. like the Iynx~ can be worth $50,000 pcr head.
<br />He warned the group to k.eep on top at the Endnngercd Species
<br />issues, and get to work early with the Division or Wildlife. Raley
<br />went on to comment to the group on the RS2477 issues. Ho and
<br />Turner both inrormed the g'fOUp that the public needs to know what
<br />is renlly going on and educate them as to the cumulative affect all
<br />the acts wiH have on our economy, freedoms, ~nd future,
<br />. It was suggested that farm-related groups need to take pol1soCthe
<br />community concerning impact to future.
<br />Turner noted, .. No one in metro area realizes the impact to those
<br />who arc raising their food supply."
<br />. Joe Dudn nnd Gnr)' Jones {rom the Colorado Timber Association
<br />explained how the Roadless Initiative affected the small operation
<br />limber industry. They stated. "that in 1990 there were 213 small
<br />mills in our state. nnd currently there arc 47. This number will go
<br />down, as operations havc to c10sc due to lack of access to Federal
<br />lands. ~__~__
<br />
<br />Forum -.!d14~
<br />
<br />. Continued from page.!
<br />
<br />herself.
<br />Sparky Turncr stllrted off by stnting how the Vn.lley people hnve
<br />worke.;l,b~rd, nnd hnvc a rig.htto be conc.erned about the RoadIess
<br />Initiatiw.nnd Clean Wntcr Action Plan (CWAP) being implemen~ed
<br />here. I'
<br />John Li,ngeCug of the Slig.uoche County Road and Bridge Depart. : _
<br />ment explained implicationsofthe Clean Water Action Plan, and its
<br />impact on water and land restrictions.
<br />He took time lobricfly describe the i.mpact itwm hO\lcon lhecftttle
<br />industry, Carmers and public (reedoms to visit federal lands. The
<br />CW AP developed by Vice President Gore focuscs on major changcs
<br />centered around ceo-system balance over the needs of ml\n. . .
<br />Unce(ug stated. "It will impact animol feeding operations, 'major :'.
<br />watcr management issues and grnzing land privileges. The Federal'
<br />government is trying to gain. control of all water:"
<br />
<br />.:: ~.-.....
<br />
<br />Ellen 'Cox from the Saguache County
<br />Road and Bridge department, is willing
<br />to help peoplo respond and get their
<br />comments Corwarded to the US Forest
<br />Service. '.
<br />Mike Olivcr, Saguache County Com.
<br />missioner, started the meeting with a
<br />. wclcome ~ all participants and com-
<br />ments as'to.why each group represented
<br />was drawn together.
<br />Lewis Entz welcomed everyone, and
<br />had each person intro~uce himself or
<br />. . Please see Forum paf::e
<br />Joncs said, "I've desi,gned horvestin~ with the tor~s~ry for 3C Water restrictions cripple ,nining
<br />y~8.r~' T~e forestry is bemg set up for a big event that wJlllmpacl al Merle Drake, representing the ColoradoMining Associa~ion.st~tctl
<br />entities, . , .' most orthc mining is goncoutofColoradodllc to all the restrictIOns
<br />.Dave West and Brett Shawcron from. the Cattlemen SASSOCHitlor on water. "Almost aU metal comes from overseas, if we go to war we
<br />spoke on the need to get th~ J=o~er~or In...olved. Shawcroft .told thl have a prDblem. you can't open a mine o...ernight." He went on to
<br />group th.at the Roadle~s Initiative and the CWA~ greatlYllmpncll discuss the issues concerning the condition of the national forest
<br />the grazmg land permits. . lands, and the poor management of beetle kill trees. and wind (all.
<br />They stated that the public needs to know ,how hard t~e catth AI DII....idsoll.PresidelltorColorndo1'rnpperAssocialionexplnincd
<br />... industry has been hit by all t.he acts, yet people from the city nee( '. the impaclfcltby trappers by Lhe Amendment 14, and therepfrcus-
<br />and want mcat, .... . sions to cattlemen with the iQcrease or predators. Foe Da"'ldson,
<br />The Farm Bureau representatIve odded, It s lime to make con ex.plained lhalthe Assoclation WDS curtently fighting to o...erturn
<br />neclions with city people and rally lhe t.rooP.s, contact ou~ or statl Amendment 14. : . '
<br />hunters ,", The recreational. groups then spoke on how the new Acts. will
<br />impact the public right to utilize public,)al1ds, !
<br />At the 'Conclusion of the meeting it was decided that the groups
<br />need to work together to get the people'S voice henrd in WashJnttoll,
<br />. There is only a short time for persons to respond to the Roadless
<br />Issues. ,'..
<br />Contnct Ellen Cox. Soguache County Rood and Dridge al 71 !l.(':.....
<br />2554 for a "Comment Form."
<br />. Send .Commments to US Forest Service. in CClre of
<br />"Road less". PO Box 221090, Snll Lnke City, Utah, 841::
<br />ROI.fi17_1091
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