[Vision2020] Otter Opposes Wilderness Bill, Says Language is Weak

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (August 17, 2006) Idaho Statesman -

One year after attempting to sell Idaho wilderness, Rep. Butch Otter is back
at it again:

"Otter said he wants wilderness bills to make an even trade between land
designated wilderness and land released from protected status. Simpson's
bill doesn't do that, he said.

'It sets a precedent," Otter said. 'Putting in three acres (into wilderness)
for every one you release just doesn't seem equal to me.'"

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Otter opposes wilderness bill, says language is weak

U.S. Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter said Thursday that he opposed fellow Idaho
congressman Mike Simpson's wilderness bill because it would not stop demands
for further restrictions on the use of federal land in the Boulder and White
Cloud mountains.

At a fundraising barbeque for his gubernatorial campaign, Otter told the
Idaho Statesman that language releasing certain lands from wilderness
protection was not strong enough. That could lead the bill open for
renegotiation, as some have tried to do with the Frank Church River of No
Return Wilderness, he said.

"The problem is there's nothing to stop these folks from coming back and
saying, 'Look, we want to restrict that area or we want more to be
wilderness,'" Otter said. "There never seems to be an agreement where you
don't have to go back and remind them what was said."
The bill would designate 492 square miles in central Idaho as protected
wilderness and transfer other federal lands to state and local governments.
It passed the House last week on a voice vote with only four members of the
House voting. Otter was not one of those four. He later said he would have
opposed the bill.

Otter said he wants wilderness bills to make an even trade between land
designated wilderness and land released from protected status. Simpson's
bill doesn't do that, he said.
"It sets a precedent," Otter said. "Putting in three acres (into wilderness)
for every one you release just doesn't seem equal to me."

Otter said he had the same concerns about a bill introduced Thursday by U.S.
Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, that would designate 517,000 acres of desolate
Owyhee County canyonlands and sagebrush uplands as wilderness. Crapo's bill
would release from wilderness designation 199,000 acres of land that had
been slated for possible protection. Otter said he hasn't yet made a final
decision on that bill.

But Otter marveled at Simpson's ability to get his bill though the House so
quickly so close to the session recess.
"Mike Simpson pulled off a legislative miracle," Otter said. And he said he
remains Simpson's friend. "Once the vote ends, we've always come back
together."

At the barbeque, Otter moved easily among about 400 supporters and
colleagues, using both hands for handshakes. He wore a lemon-yellow and
white plaid button-down shirt, fitted dark jeans and a large belt buckle.
The barbeque was held in the spacious shared acreage of two houses on Warm
Springs Avenue, one owned by Patty and Derrick O'Neill, the other by Laurie
and Mike Reynoldson.

"I would venture to guess that 80 percent of the people who meet Butch
consider him a personal friend," said Mike Reynoldson, a Micron lobbyist.
"He's never met a stranger."

Others described Otter as up-front, a straight-shooter, an honest man and a
good role model.

"He's been looking out for Idaho for a lot of years," said Qwest lobbyist Ed
Lodge.

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Seeya at the polls, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho


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The right choice for the future of Latah County.

Linda Pike for County Commissioner

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