The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Whether to pursue wild and scenic designation still not settled
By Katherine Nettles
The Crystal River Stakeholder Group has reconvened in hopes of getting closer to consensus about what path to take in its pursuit of protecting the river and establishing a vision for its future. It appears there is not yet much consensus at all, and the potential for pursuing wild and scenic designation, a federal protection, may be losing steam.
Gunnison County commissioner Liz Smith reported in December that the Crystal River Stakeholder Group was set to reconvene mid-month to discuss the group’s wild and scenic feasibility subcommittee work and potential recommendations.
The stakeholder group formed in 2022 with a mission to explore and potentially form a shared vision for the Crystal River to keep it free-flowing, which might include pursuing a federal wild and scenic designation or some sort of management plan. The stakeholder group has worked in the three years since to engage representatives from the communities along the river’s path. Smith has attended meetings to represent Gunnison County, one of three counties in which the river is located, but not in a policy-forming role.
“I have received phone calls from some people from Gunnison County who remain concerned about where that working group might want to take their recommendations,” said Smith. She clarified that as a stakeholder group, they do not have any specific proposal, or decisions to make or lean toward. “My purpose is to just stay engaged in the process and see the process to its natural conclusion,” she said.
During the January 6 commissioners meeting Smith updated that during the hybrid meeting in December, there had been some tension and fractured opinions among those in the subcommittee that became evident at the stakeholder meeting. This included a petition circulating to not pursue wild and scenic designation. Smith said that she suggested they determine what aspects the members can agree on, and try to consolidate ideas. “There are a lot of deep feelings about it,” she said.
“I don’t know that [wild and scenic designation] really is feasible anymore, given the way administrations have changed,” continued Smith. “But I do think it’s important for us to conclude this process.”
The group intends to keep meeting, and Smith reiterated the importance of seeing the feasibility process through, “so that in five years another enthusiastic group doesn’t come along and just repeat the same process unnecessarily.”
More information about the group and Crystal River history can be found at https://crystalwildandsceniccoalition.org.
