Idaho County commissioners tell state officials they are seeking changes to public land management

“And so my contention is that the wilderness is land of no use as it stands. It’s just sitting there ready to cook.”

That is how Idaho County Commissioner Skip Brandt described roughly 4 million acres of federal wilderness and roadless areas inside his county during a Thursday legislative hearing. Commissioners in the rugged north-central Idaho county are asking state and federal officials to overhaul public land management across their jurisdiction, arguing that current preservation rules choke off economic activity and worsen wildfire dangers.

Brandt detailed the sweeping proposal during a meeting of the Idaho Legislature’s Committee on Federalism, held at a Super 8 motel in Grangeville and livestreamed online, the Idaho Capital Sun reported. The county’s plan targets approximately 4.5 million acres of public land within Idaho County. That total includes about 2.3 million acres of designated wilderness and another 1.7 million acres of roadless ground managed under the Idaho Roadless Rule.

Pushing for the Least Restrictive Land Classification

Federal rules currently protect those roadless lands as part of what the U.S. Forest Service calls the core of the last intact forest ecosystems in the lower 48 states, where native plants, fish, and wildlife still thrive. But Brandt contends that strict federal limitations against logging, building roads, and operating motorized vehicles defeat the practical value of the terrain.

Idaho has an Idaho county?How many (if any) other states have counties of the same name?

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Brandt told state lawmakers that these barriers hamper wildfire response efforts and restrict recreational access for residents who cannot afford expensive outfitters or hike for days with heavy packs.

To fix that, Brandt announced plans to petition U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz to reclassify the county’s Idaho Roadless Areas. He wants the land shifted to a general forest, rangeland, and grassland designation, which stands as the least restrictive management option available. Such a change would clear the way for timber harvesting and road construction.

Laying the Groundwork Through Official Channels

The push has been building for weeks. Brandt and fellow commissioners Ted Lindsley and Brad Higgins outlined their intentions in a Sept. 29 letter sent to Idaho Brad Little and U.S. Jim Risch.

The lands would remain Idaho Roadless Areas; the requested modification would change their management classification to provide greater flexibility to properly manage them to meet Forest Service and county goals.

Little and Risch responded to the commissioners on Monday, directing local officials to collaborate with the Idaho Roadless Rule Implementation Commission. The state leaders advised the county to supply specific examples of blocked projects, local wildfire risk data, and other supporting evidence before seeking formal changes.

Brandt acknowledged during Thursday’s committee hearing that he needs to complete additional due diligence, but he aims to file formal documents within a week or two. The Committee on Federalism took no formal action on the proposal.