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Produced & Maintained by Idaho Mountain Express, Box 1013, Ketchum, ID 83340-1013 
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Copyright © 2002 Express Publishing Inc.
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For the week of March 5 - 11, 2003

Editorials

ATV proposal contradicts public’s priorities


The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation has extended the comment period on its proposal for a rambling all-terrain vehicle trail through the Big Lost and Little Lost valleys. It has hastily scheduled three more public hearings. One is set for March 20 at Wood River High School Auditorium in Hailey from 7-9 p.m.

IDPR was wise to extend the comment period on a proposal that was virtually unknown until recently. Yet, it’s fair to wonder whether IDPR will take any negative comments on the proposal seriously.

Finances in the rest of state government are so desperate the Idaho Legislature is considering a budget that would force state prisons to release convicted felons. In stark contrast, IDPR has money burning a hole in its pocket.

IDPR collects $600,000 a year from ATV users for its Off-Highway Vehicle Fund. The money is talking.

Yet, the talk isn’t in line with where the public wants IDPR to walk.

In 2002, IDPR surveyed 1,015 randomly selected residents and asked them to list their recreation priorities. Given IDPR’s obvious enthusiasm for the ATV trail, the results were surprising.

Of 19 priorities listed in the 2002 Idaho Outdoor Recreation Survey, the public ranked providing designated ATV trails as 17th. Ranked lower were providing cross-country skiing and snowmobile trail systems.

The No. 1 priority for Parks and Rec as seen by Idahoans? Protecting water quality. Protecting existing access to public lands ranked second. Protecting natural resources on public lands ranked third.

At number six, even weed control ranked far higher in the public’s mind than a new ATV trail. (The survey results are available online at www.idahoparks.org.)

IDPR representatives argue that an ATV trail will protect water quality and natural resources, supposedly by confining ATVs to designated trails.

It’s a specious argument given that the machines’ drivers are impossible to confine and that a designated trail will be a magnet that attracts users from all over the country.

More ATVs will bring more outdoor devastation—the opposite of what the majority of Idahoans want.

As one of his first acts, newly appointed IDPR board member and Sun Valley City Councilman Latham Williams should insist that the state agency get its priorities straight.

Money or no money, it should not ignore its own survey.

 

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The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.