Obama signs law giving Idaho wilderness federal protection

A new wilderness in Idaho is a presidential signature away from becoming reality.

The move comes after more than a decade of support by Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, the Idaho Statesman reported. “As an individual bill, it’s obviously up there very high”.

ROCKY BARKER: But Congressman Simpson decided to make another run at declaring the mountains a wilderness area and got his bill through the House in July.

He said at times he was skeptical on a good outcome. “He gave me some advice at the first of the year”.

“Spearheaded here in Congress by Congressman Mike Simpson, who was able to receive not a single “no-vote” which does not happen often, in the House of Representatives”.

This means that the Boulder White Clouds area will not become a national monument and will thus be available for recreational use as well as use by ranchers who have BLM allotments.

A wilderness designation based on more than 40 years of history will soon become law. “I think right now people are going to take the win and celebrate”, he said.

The Forest Service is responsible for managing all of the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness, and all of the White Clouds Wilderness except for 450 acres, which is being managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

More than 275,000 acres of the Boulder-White Clouds officially will become wilderness. This is a landscape of summer and winter range for big game and critical habitat for endangered and elusive species like wolverine.

ROCKY BARKER: Sandra Mitchell, who represents snowmobilers and motorcyclists, favored the creation of a wilderness area because the designation clearly spells out how the mountain trails around it can be used.

“It’s discouraging when you just slam the door shut”, said Bob Rosso, owner of an outdoors retail shop in Ketchum called The Elephant’s Perch. “You can ride your bike in and cross from one side to the other and not leave an impact”.