PUBLIC LANDS: Idaho senators don’t really care

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is the crown jewel of wild and scenic rivers in the lower 48. It’s known as the River of No Return and attracts people from all over the world because of its solitude and beauty. Some would say it’s untouched and untamed. Imagine if 50 senators voted yes to allow a Chilean mining company to mine for copper and nickel in the Salmon River. Outdoor enthusiasts would be justifiably outraged.

On April 16, Idaho Senators Risch and Crapo voted Yes to lift the mining ban on the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area in Northern Minnesota. Accessible primarily by canoe, the Boundary Waters Area Wilderness is one of America’s most beautiful and remote places. Its vast wilderness extends 150 miles along the U.S. - Canada border, covering approximately 1,098,000 acres with over 1,100 lakes and 1,200 miles of canoe routes, attracting more than 150,000 visitors annually. Some would argue that it rivals some of the most remote and pristine parts of Idaho.

A strong majority of the public has been against mining in the Boundary Waters but once again, Idaho senators prove that they don’t care about the will of the people. Whenever I hear one of Senator Risch’s ads proclaiming he supports public lands, I will remember his vote today. And wonder if he’ll sell out Idaho next.

‘When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money’ — Alanis Obomsawin

SUE MORGAN

Coeur d’Alene