WHEREAS it is critical to maintain and support multiple uses on public lands. The land managing agency should strongly consider the local history, customs, culture, and economy as special designations are analyzed as these are the values that are to be protected under these designations.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Club 20 supports the following:
- Special designations should be carried forward and designated only when it’s impossible to protect said resource using standard stipulations and thoughtful active management
- Special designations should be developed on the least restrictive land conservation designation alternatives NCAs (National Conservation Area), ACECs (Area of Critical and Environmental Concern), NRAs (National Recreation Association), etc. to accomplish the conservation objectives while creating the least multiple-use conflicts.
- Existing rights should be grandfathered into the special designation into perpetuity and allow for the transfer of those rights/uses to future users.
- Wilderness Study Area are managed as de facto Wilderness and should be released back to multiple-use if not acted upon by Congress within ten years.
- Federal land-management agencies must adhere to the requirements of the Wilderness Act and FLPMA and not create new wilderness-like land-use classifications (such as Lands with Wilderness Characteristics).
- Wilderness legislation will only be supported:
- after a thorough vetting and evaluation of all regional risk factors and unintended consequences by all stakeholder interests within the resident communities – including formal hearings on the proposed legislation within each county that includes part of the proposed Wilderness Area
- with strong support by the County Commissioners representing the most immediately affected counties.
- Wilderness legislation must
- adhere to the statutory requirements of the Wilderness Act in that only Congress has the authority to designate wilderness.
- avoid all known conflicts within the proposed Wilderness boundaries (including but not limited to existing water rights, mineral leases, suitable lands for forest management purposes, and grazing permits)
- should provide for reasonable access (including mechanized/motorized access) to maintain existing compatible uses
- allow for adoption of new technologies to stay economically viable
- should maintain current compatible uses and the level of use at the time of designation into perpetuity after the Wilderness designation by allowing for the transfer of those uses to future users
- respect Colorado water law and have the input of local water officials
- Opposition to expansion or creation of National Monuments without substantial local public support.
Incorporates and replaces the following resolutions:
- PLNR-99-4, Special Land Use Designations, Local Government Involvement
- PLNR-10-1, Wilderness Designations
- PLNR-12-1, Appropriate Application of ACEC Designation on BLM Lands
- PLNR-97-4, Wilderness Study Areas
- PLNR-00-9, Dinosaur National Monument & Vermillion National Monument
- PLNR-01-2, Executive Order Review and Rescission
- PLNR-19-4, Federal Lands, Sale & Acquisition of
Adopted 4/8/2021
To View this Resolution in PDF Format Click HERE.