Letter: Federal cuts threaten our valley’s recreation economy
Rarely does a day go by when most of us living in the Eagle River Valley don’t pinch ourselves to make sure our lives are real. Life here is almost too good to be true.
Recent experiences include eating at a locally owned Mexican restaurant, noting a license plate that said FISHSKi, spotting the first raft floating down the Eagle River, observing a bull elk cross the river, biking, and swapping out AT, downhill and snowshoe gear for hiking shoes. These activities and others may now be in jeopardy.
Our winter playground, Vail, operates on National Forest Service lands, under a special use permit from the White River National Forest. Over 2.3 million acres of wilderness in central Colorado are managed by the White River district of the National Forest Service. Through a series of presidential executive orders, thousands of National Park Service staff have been fired or pressured to resign. Layoffs of 3,400 Forest Service employees will result in an increased risk of wildfires and insufficient trail maintenance.
The Environmental Protection Agency regulates public waters; the EPA faces a reduction of almost $1 billion in fiscal 2025. The responsibility of the Fish and Wildlife Service is conservation and management of fish, wildlife and plants; cuts to their budget and layoffs of over 400 employees loom. Energy extraction on public lands is being mandated. The administration’s plans include rescinding the BLM’s Public Lands Rule and weakening the Endangered Species Act.
Folks come to the valley for recreation. As this is threatened, jobs and opportunities for hardworking locals will disappear. Accessibility to our amazing outdoors makes the current machinations in Washington D.C. seem far away. We may feel impervious and insulated. But are we really? If you think we are immune from what’s happening in D.C., remember the cuts to federal government agencies, workers and funding …. and then think again!
Support Local Journalism
Wendy Klein
Martha Tyler
Eagle
