Snowmo Fight
Idaho snowmobilers are revving up to fight a Montana wilderness bill.
Rocky Barker of the Idaho Statesman posted a blog yesterday about opposition from Idaho snowmobilers to a proposed wilderness area in Montana.
The 4,500-acre Mt. Jefferson Wilderness would be permanently protected if Sen. Jon Tester of Montana passes his Forest Jobs and Recreation Act in Congress.
At the request of Idaho snowmobilers, Sen. Risch and Crapo will likely ask Tester to pull Mt. Jefferson from the legislation.
Business owners in Island Park are concerned that—if Mt. Jefferson is protected as wilderness, thereby prohibiting snowmobiles—snowmobilers will stop patronizing shops, gas stations, hotels and convenience stores in the eastern Idaho town.
Regardless of what you think about other aspects of Tester's legislation, Mt. Jefferson and the Centennial mountains are part of a crucial migration and habitat corridor for wildlife moving between Yellowstone and Central Idaho.
I wonder if this opposition is really about a small 4,500-acre area or just ideological opposition from Idaho snowmobilers to any wilderness protection.
If and only if Tester pulls Mt. Jefferson from a piece of Montana legislation to appease Idaho snowmobilers will we find out. Will they vocally support it or continue to oppose any wilderness protections?
