Together we have worked on collaborative conservation measures before including the Idaho Roadless Rule.
You know in Idaho we have the largest block, I believe, of wilderness in the continental United States of contiguous wilderness area.
Let there be no mistake about it, Congressman Simpson is the person who has done--has put in all the hours on this.
As they often say, politics is the art of the possible.
I believe that you worked in good faith on it.
It was done through a process that's very much different than the way we do these things today.
The one, of course, most interest to me is S. 3294 which is the CIEDRA, what we call in Idaho the CIEDRA bill.
I know that it's possible.
While this bill is not perfect, and does need some more work, Senator Risch and I are going to continue working with the stakeholders from t...
We have to undertake these efforts together in a consensus based manner. If we do not, we will never find our way forward.
You have always been up front with me regarding your opposition to additional wilderness in Idaho.
As the principal author of CIEDRA, I feel it is appropriate to respond to you directly.
We appreciate the efforts of the Committee leadership and Senator Crapo in reshaping those earlier versions of CIEDRA.
I appreciate your taking the time to comment regarding your concerns with S.3294, the Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act ...
I'm interested more in hearing on the procedural basis, how we get to the consensus that we need.
We too, have traveled this path of collaborative conservation on the Owyhee Canyon lands.
I also thank Chairman Bingaman and Ranking Member Murkowski for working with me and Senator Risch on this bill.
These things are difficult, but not impossible.
