Idaho Mountain Express: Forest Service did right thing

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Forest Service did right thing

Sawtooth Forest Supervisor Jane Kollmeyer demonstrated the utmost professionalism and integrity by denying the proposed 90-foot Galena cell tower. She painstakingly followed Public Law 92-400 establishing the SNRA and longstanding forest visual management policy. Considerable time, energy and money were expended but it was well worth it. Common sense, the facts and the law prevailed in the long run.

On behalf of dozens of SNRA supporters in the Wood River Valley, throughout Idaho, and all over the West, we all want to say an unequivocal "thank you" to Supervisor Kollmeyer and her able staff for a job well done. I want to note that some of the key citizens and groups that gave Jane substantive input were the 300-member Nordic and Backcountry Skiers Alliance—Chris Pilaro, executive director; Linn Kinncannon of the Idaho Conservation League; Don Shepler of Galena Lodge; retired SNRA Forest Service land managers Ed Bloedel, Carl Pence, David Hoefer, Tom Kovalicky, and Jeff Jones; former Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus; Dr. Dave and Kathy Richmond and Steve Wolper of the Sawtooth Group of the Sierra Club; two dedicated retired SNRA landscape architects who lent their considerable visual management acumen—Denise Jackson Ford and Tom Streit; Mike Treshow; Jeff Ferreday of Boise; Scott Silver of Bend, Ore.; Gary Gadwa and John Rember of Stanley; and many others! I apologize for missing a few.

In these tumultuous technological times we need to pause and reflect on the visionary homework that created the SNRA in 1972. We should constantly remind ourselves that this gem of Idaho and the nation in our backyard is a place for quiet contemplation and refreshment. The SNRA must not be whittled away, comprised or diluted. Truly—preserving the irreplaceable visual resource is an absolute cornerstone of the SNRA. Hats off to Jane Kollmeyer.

Scott Phillips

Hailey

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The comments below are from the readers of mtexpress.com and in no way represent the views of Express Publishing Inc.

Todd

09/25/09 - 16:36

After living in Sun Valley the past five years I've known quite a few people, friends and friends of friends that have gotten in trouble or even have died in the Sawtooth Wilderness. Thank god you denied the cell phone tower. We don't want anyone to be able to call for help when they need it, or when there is a large fire in the middle of the highway from a truck and trailer accident, or someone's beloved son in a motorcycle accident. God forbid anyone have the right to contact emergency personnel for any reason in the Sacred Sawtooth Wilderness. I hope for your sake, you and your family members or friends never get into any accidents of any kind in the mountains above Sun Valley. Might make you think twice about denying us a cell phone tower.

Reply to Todd

gee

09/26/09 - 12:33

"After living in Sun Valley the past five years".........Enough said.

Reply to Todd

Black Diamond

09/28/09 - 21:24

learn emergency lifesaving skills, and one more thing practice them. Some folks consider this personal responsibility, you know wilderness is pretty unforgiving.

morsel

09/24/09 - 12:00

Wow,
the forest service voted in favor of preserving the land in it's partially natural habitat, not selling out to industry. Nice job.

Political Science 101

09/23/09 - 19:47

Shucks, I was hoping the forest service told the U.N. to get lost finally.

Jack

09/23/09 - 18:05

Hmm...what did people do when they went into the backcountry before cell phones? There are other ways to protect yourself while in the backcountry. Good work SNRA.

Reply to Jack

Galena Guy – 52 miles west of Galena

09/24/09 - 03:59

And what did people do before we had guardrails on the sides of roads? Why they teetered off the edges of cliffs, spilling valuable ore down into the valley, for future treasure hunters to use as rainy day funds.

So let's remove the unsightly guardrails, sell it for scrap metal and make Hwy. 75 look like Trail Creek Road again, to give scavengers a fighting chance. And what about seat belts? Whatever did people ever do before seat belts were installed in the first Tucker automobile? Why they crushed their heads against windows, of course, greatly helping St Lukes brain-surgeon economy.

And what about safety glass? What did people do before safety glass? It shouldn't be allowed to travel through the SNRA for ascetic purposes, because mountains give better visuals through smoky glass.

And what about anti-lock braking systems? What ever did we do before this modern development? If you are a true-blue Idahoan, you should be able
to screech to a halt like Fred Flintstone at the edge of a guardrail-less cliff.
That's the way we did it back in my day. End of discussion.

brian mcnary

09/23/09 - 11:27

thecivillibertarian.blogspot.com

randy

09/23/09 - 07:56

Yes, I'm glad selfishness prevailed. My view is far more important than the opportunity to save a stranger's life.
Thank you for this letter, we now have a list of people to blame for every death that will occur in the backcountry due to delayed medical response.