The information in this SAWS Action Alert comes from the Idaho State Snowmobile Association (http://www.idahosnow.org/) and the Idaho Recreation Council (http://www.id-rc.org/).
Senator John Tester’s Montana Wilderness Bill which would designate Mt. Jefferson as wilderness is back in play again.┬á This time as an attachment on the Interior Department-EPA appropriations bill. Congressman Simpson is chairman of the House Interior Appropriations Committee and it is critical that we remind him of how important the south half of Jefferson is to Idaho.
Please take the time to let our Congressman know that we need Jefferson left open!┬á It is easy to do so as our friends at NIKE say, “just do it“.
Here’s how:┬á Go to Congressman Mike Simpson’s web page.┬á Enter your zip code, hit submit and then fill in the blanks with the requested information.┬á In the message section choose one of the messages below or write one of your own.┬á Thank the Congressman and you’re done!┬á How easy was that?
Message Choices:
1.  Please do not allow the south half of Mt. Jefferson to become wilderness.
2.  The south half of Mt. Jefferson is essential to the economic security of Island Park.  We cannot afford to lose it as a snowmobile area.
3.┬á┬áSenator Tester’s wilderness bill may provide jobs in Montana but it will be at the expense of jobs in Fremont County.┬á Don’t let him designate the south half of Mt. Jefferson as wilderness-we need all the jobs we can get in Idaho.
4.┬á┬áThe south half of Mt. Jefferson may be in Montana but it is an Idaho resource, accessible only from Idaho.┬á Don’t let Senator Tester take it away from us by designating it wilderness.
5.  Following extensive public involvement he Forest Service, in its latest resource management plan, has determined that the south half of Mount Jefferson is best managed as an area with mixed uses, including snowmobiling.  If Congress bypasses the people and makes this area wilderness, placing this iconic snowmobile area off limits, it will have spit in the faces of the people who worked so hard to keep it open.
6.┬á┬áLet’s have no backroom deals over Mount Jefferson.┬á It is too important to the snowmobile community and Idaho as a whole.
Once you have done this, please pass the message on to everyone you know.  The more responses the better chance we have of saving Mt. Jefferson.
Thanks for working towards keeping YOUR snowmobiling areas OPEN for riding!!
Scott Chapman
Idaho SAWS Representative
(Image source: ShareTrails.org)
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