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September 09, 2009 11:25 PM UTC

Playing both sides of every issue, Bill Ritter pays a political price, again.

  • 10 Comments
  • by: Nathan Ortiz

The Colorado Roadless Rule resulted from one of the most extensive and inclusive public processes in Colorado’s history. The newsprint and radio ad below is showing up all over the state of Colorado.

A few radical organizations didn’t like the outcome of the roadless rule agreement. Caving to pressure, Bill Ritter opened the process back up to meddling and revisions. At risk? Vital exceptions made for our ski/tourism sectors, the North Fork Valley Coal Reserves and important provisions to protect our mountain communities from wildfire and insect infestations.

Playing all sides of every issue is trademark Bill Ritter. And as a result, Ritter now faces a statewide radio and newspaper campaign he could have easily avoided by maintaining his commitments, and keeping his promises.

Word is that this radio ad is playing statewide and showed up this morning in multiple newspapers around the state.

Comments

10 thoughts on “Playing both sides of every issue, Bill Ritter pays a political price, again.

    1. Supports of the Colorado Roadless Task Force can hardly be considered “Right Wingers”

      In fact, if I recall, Senator Udall and his staff were involved in crafting and promoting the roadless rule and even had a staff on the task force.  

      1. They’re coming from Common Sense Colorado, which is a right wing advocacy group. Their website, in the “About” section reads:

        Thank you for your interest in Common Sense Colorado. CSC is dedicated to promoting issues that strengthen Colorado’s economy through principles of limited government, limited regulatory burdens, and free markets. CSC will promote concepts, policies and legislation that advance a strong business environment in Colorado. CSC will hold accountable policies, legislation and elected officials that weaken or destabilize Colorado’s business environment.

        So yeah, you’re promoting a right wing attack on Bill Ritter for not catering to the ski resorts and other business interests. Of course, you already knew that didn’t you?

  1. I saw this newspaper ad in Steamboat this morning but didn’t know it was also on radio and TV.  My cousin was on the roadless task force and while I thought they conceded too much to the ski industry — it seemed like their final product was a good compromise.  Why did Ritter throw the Colorado rule in the trash can?

  2. The Ritter photo caught my eye.  

    One of by early fears with Governor Ritter was the over use of Blue Ribbon Panels and the lack of follow through after the process.  Transportation being the example that started and died under Ritter’s watch.

    The Roadless Rule was a long (really long) process.  Meetings all over with public input and compromises.  Now Ritter has thrown it out to side with the extreme leftest.

    My question is: Why would anyone ever serve on a Ritter Commission again?  It is a waste of time.  

  3. So Everyone is focused on the ski industry rights, but what about off-road access! This governor also betrayed us. While we didn’t have anyone on the task force, we certainly participated in every single hearing across the state. The ski industry will always have support, but off-roaders will always be on Ritter’s chopping block. If his new “revisions” reduce access he will get an earful from us too!

  4. recently upheld by a panel of judges in the 9th Circuit, ski areas are allowed to expand into roadless lands within their permit boundary–they just can’t build roads.  And yes, it happens–it’s happening now at Durango Mountain and it happened recently at A Basin.

    The primary issue around coal is regarding the Currant Creek roadless area, watershed and recommended (under the withdrawn–due to pressure from then Sen. Allard–GMUG forest plan) by the USFS as NON-suitable for mineral extraction.  Lands adjacent to existing coal leases, or overlying existing coal leases, in the North Fork are not really the main issue here.

    Most science–including that compiled by the USFS–clearly indicates that the best way to protect from wildfire is in the Wildland/Urban Interface, roughly defined as a community and a buffer–the effective distance of the buffer is not identical in every place, but a quarter or half mile is generally considered more than enough, according to most science.

    The proposed Colorado rule would allow logging far into the backcountry–even though budgets are already stretched and effective fuels mitigation needs to be carefully directed where it actually works.

    There are numerous other problems with the proposed Colorado rule, which is currently under comment with the state.  To get the other side of the story you can visis http://www.roadless.net or http://www.ourforests.org

    As noted above, this line of attack is being pushed by a radical 501c4 hurrying to spend their 51% on ‘issues’ so they can dump their crap into electoral campaigns, spreading hyperbolic disinformation and outright lies.  But what else is news?  

    The smear merchants–never concerned with the normal constraints of integrity–are gearing up for their nastiness.  

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