WASHINGTON DC - Carole King appeared before the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health on October 27, 2005. King, who has lived in Idaho for the past 28 years, testified against the legislation sponsored by Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID), the Central Idaho Economic Development Act (CIEDRA).

"Just last month the President asked us to conserve gasoline," said King in her testimony. "Why would anyone support a bill that encourages and funds the recreational burning of oil, while people across the nation are shivering in their homes?" "I can't support CIEDRA," King added. "It's wrong for the land, wrong for the wildlife, and wrong for my community."

Opposed by 34 local, regional and national conservation groups, CIEDRA is described by some as a wilderness bill when in fact, it will "release" 132,000 acres of wilderness study areas and create new management areas that will lock in off road vehicle use permanently as the priority use in areas currently eligible for wilderness designation. The bill will also give away outright 6000+ acres of nationally owned public land, for free, for local officials to sell off for development.

"Supporting CIEDRA is like agreeing to give away two of your children to save one," says King. "If you love wilderness, why would you not fight to save it all?"

The preferred alternative to CIEDRA is the Rockies Prosperity Act, which not only protects over 20 million acres of wilderness, but creates jobs and saves taxpayers money.

*Rockies Prosperity Act (HR 1204) has 185 congressional co-sponsors, compared to CIEDRA, which has one.

*A new bill was introduced in Congress on November 11, 2011 as the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (H.R. 3334) or NREPA.

For more information go to www.wildrockiesalliance.org.