I have written Congressman Dave Reichert many times to get him aware of snowmobiling and he at least acknowledges we exist now!
Below is the text of his latest reply:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding Wilderness areas. I appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Congress enacted the Wilderness Act in 1964. This Act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which gave Congress the authority to designate wilderness areas. Today there are 708 wilderness areas, totaling more than 107 million acres, in 44 states. Numerous bills to designate additional areas and to expand existing ones are introduced and considered in every Congress.
The Wilderness Act defined wilderness as an area of generally undisturbed federal land, but did not establish criteria or standards to determine whether an area should be designated. In general, wilderness areas are undeveloped, and commercial activities, motorized access, and roads, structures, and facilities are generally prohibited in wilderness areas. However, in response to conflicting demands, Congress has granted both general exemptions and specific exceptions to the general standards and prohibitions.
I believe we must strive to strike an appropriate balance between conservation and recreation. To that end, in some unique areas we must think forward to generations beyond our own. We must recognize that some areas need the greatest possible usage restrictions to preserve their natural heritage for our children and grandchildren. I believe the proposed Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area is one of these unique places. In addition, to address your concerns, the proposed new addition is in low elevation and should not impact snowmobile use within the boundaries of the proposed area. Rest assured, I will continue to work to find the appropriate balance whenever Congress considers our public lands.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to get in touch with me. Your interest and input are valued and I hope to hear from you in the future regarding other matters of importance. I encourage you to visit my website and sign up for my monthly e-newsletter at http://reichert.house.gov to learn more about other issues impacting the 8th Congressional District and our nation.
Sincerely,
David G. Reichert
Member of Congress
Below is the text of his latest reply:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding Wilderness areas. I appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Congress enacted the Wilderness Act in 1964. This Act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which gave Congress the authority to designate wilderness areas. Today there are 708 wilderness areas, totaling more than 107 million acres, in 44 states. Numerous bills to designate additional areas and to expand existing ones are introduced and considered in every Congress.
The Wilderness Act defined wilderness as an area of generally undisturbed federal land, but did not establish criteria or standards to determine whether an area should be designated. In general, wilderness areas are undeveloped, and commercial activities, motorized access, and roads, structures, and facilities are generally prohibited in wilderness areas. However, in response to conflicting demands, Congress has granted both general exemptions and specific exceptions to the general standards and prohibitions.
I believe we must strive to strike an appropriate balance between conservation and recreation. To that end, in some unique areas we must think forward to generations beyond our own. We must recognize that some areas need the greatest possible usage restrictions to preserve their natural heritage for our children and grandchildren. I believe the proposed Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area is one of these unique places. In addition, to address your concerns, the proposed new addition is in low elevation and should not impact snowmobile use within the boundaries of the proposed area. Rest assured, I will continue to work to find the appropriate balance whenever Congress considers our public lands.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to get in touch with me. Your interest and input are valued and I hope to hear from you in the future regarding other matters of importance. I encourage you to visit my website and sign up for my monthly e-newsletter at http://reichert.house.gov to learn more about other issues impacting the 8th Congressional District and our nation.
Sincerely,
David G. Reichert
Member of Congress
