Wilderness bill
An act of Congress to set aside 26,000 additional acres of wilderness in the Wasatch Mountain canyons east of the Salt Lake Valley could benefit water users. It could also benefit its sponsor, Utah Rep. Jim Matheson, whose vote against health care legislation has made him unpopular with some Democratic voters in the 2nd Congressional District.
Matheson says he wants to protect the watershed comprising the mountains and canyons along the Wasatch Front. Ensuring a stable supply of clean drinking water for the growing population center of the state will also protect its economic future, he reasons. That is a worthy goal, and so is expanded protection of the canyons' scenic and recreational treasures. We support this legislation.
Matheson says his Wasatch Wilderness and Watershed Protection Act is the result of years of negotiation among his staff, Salt Lake City and Sandy mayors, officials of the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy, Salt Lake County government, Snowbird and Alta ski resorts, the major helicopter skiing operators and Save Our Canyons, a local conservation group. The timing of the bill's introduction to help the congressman's re-election effort seems irrelevant.
The bill would establish 8,000 new wilderness acres called the Wayne Owens Grandeur Peak-Mount Aire Wilderness in Mill Creek and Parleys canyons to honor the late Rep. Wayne Owens, a former 2nd Congressional District representative and wilderness champion. It would expand the Mount Olympus and Lone Peak wilderness areas, protect Flagstaff Peak and prohibit off-highway vehicles in Mineral Fork. It would also create the Bear Trap Wilderness Area at the head of the Big Cottonwood Canyon watershed.
At a press conference less than two weeks after his health-care vote, Matheson explained that compromises among the stakeholders included deals with Snowbird not to expand into White Pine Canyon and with Alta that it won't build a ski lift to Flagstaff Peak.
But Alta Mayor Tom Pollard said that announcement is premature. In fact, Pollard said Alta does not support the legislation, hinting that some more negotiation will be necessary. He said the lift to Flagstaff Peak is necessary to carry ski patrol workers to avalanche zones to drop hand charges when the common means of avalanche control, discharging military artillery, is unsafe. He admits, however, that the lift could also be used by ordinary skiers.
The fragile Wasatch Front canyons and their vital watershed need protection from additional commercial use. Matheson's bill would expand and solidify that protection.
