Central Idaho Economic Development & Recreation Act (CIEDRA):


Comparing HR 3603 and Substitute to 222

Contents CIEDRA Overview CIEDRA Analysis CIEDRA Side-by-side Comparison Title I -- Side-by-side comparison Public Land Giveaways Outfitter and Guides Title II -- Side-by-side comparison Roadless Areas Not Designated Wilderness Water Rights Mining Wildlife Title III -- Side-by-side comparison ORV use - prohibiting trail closure overview.htmlhttp://waterplanet.ws/ciedra_analysis/overview/home.html../title1/ciedratitle1.html../title1/landgiveaway.html../title1/outfittersandguides.html../title2/ciedratitle2.html../title2/releasedroadlessareas.html../title2/waterrights.html../title2/mining.html../title2/wildlife.html../title3/ciedratitle3.html../title3/closingtrails.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_7shapeimage_2_link_8shapeimage_2_link_9shapeimage_2_link_10shapeimage_2_link_11shapeimage_2_link_12

ORV trail ruts at 9,000 feet.  CIEDRA would subvert the conservation purposes of the Sawtooth NRA by establishing a 'no net loss' policy for motorized trails -- if a trail is closed due to environmental damage or any other reason, equivalent new mileage must be opened up elsewhere.  (click here)

updated August 12, 2008

    In 1972 Congress established the 756,000-acre Sawtooth NRA with solid conservation purposes:


In order to assure the preservation and protection of the natural, scenic, historic, pastoral, and fish and wildlife values and to provide for the enhancement of the recreational values associated therewith, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area is hereby established.  [16 U.S.C.A. § 460aa]


    Conservationists have long advocated Wilderness protection for nearly 500,000 acres of the Boulder-White Clouds, including most of the Sawtooth NRA’s eastern half.

    In 2004 CIEDRA was unveiled, a complex public lands bill, and the focus of this website. (click here for THOMAS)

    Since October, 2005, Sierra Club has

•consistently acknowledged changes to CIEDRA,

•actively supported Wilderness protection for Idaho, and

•consistently expressed serious concerns regarding aspects of the legislation (see Carl Pope’s 2006 letter to Congress, below).

Since 2005, Sierra Club has recommended that Congress vote NO on CIEDRA.

    This website provides a side-by-side comparison of HR3603 (passing the House in 2006 on a suspension of rules), and the latest version of the bill (Substitute to 222).


A review of the latest version of the legislation reveals that changes in CIEDRA are minor when juxtaposed to the major concerns raised by Sierra Club:


  1. 1) CIEDRA will give away over 5,000 acres of public lands.  The latest bill removes 94 acres of Sawtooth National Recreation Area (NRA) lands near Stanley, Idaho, from the list of public lands to be given away. (click here)


  1. 2) The release of 130,000 acres of Wilderness quality lands long advocated by the conservation community for Wilderness remains unchanged. (click here)


  1. 3) Water rights language remains unchanged. (click here)


  1. 4)There is no change in the bill’s objective to alter the conservation purposes for which the Sawtooth NRA was established by giving statutory protection to ORV use in the Boulder-White Clouds area: 


[i]t is the purpose of this title to provide that motorized use of such lands shall be allowed in accordance with travel maps for the federal lands within the perimeter as shown on the maps entitled -  ‘‘CIEDRA: USFS and BLM Travel Plan’’ and ‘‘CIEDRA:     USFS and BLM Winter Travel Plan’’ and dated November 15, 2006.

  (CIEDRA Section 301)

   

    While the latest bill eliminates the formal name of a “Boulder

    White Clouds Management Area”, the problematic language of

    “no net loss” of ORV trails and purpose remain unchanged. 

    (click here)

   Support Wilderness - Oppose CIEDRA.   We can do better.