The Vermillion Basin area of northwest Colorado includes expansive and colorful badlands, rugged canyons, spectacular scenery and scenic vistas. Vermillion Canyon contains a spectacular collection of petroglyphs amid sculpted sandstone cliffs that rise up to 1,000 feet. Nearby Irish Canyon was identified by the Bureau of Land Management as an "Area of Critical Environmental Concern" because of its remarkable geologic and botanical resources, including some of the most notable rock art in western Colorado. Vermillion Basin also includes 77,000 acres of roadless wilderness-character lands, and in 2000 a coalition of conservationists proposed protecting the area as a national monument.

Mammals that inhabit the area include elk, antelope, mule deer, beaver, bobcat, and coyote. The area also provides habitat for numerous bird species, including golden eagle, peregrine falcon, burrowing owl, and the imperiled sage grouse.

What's at Stake
Colorado's Moffat County has claimed more than 2,000 miles of routes, including over 230 miles of claimed "roads" within the 77,000 roadless wilderness-character acres in Vermillion Basin. Rights-of-way proponents in the County have admitted that road access to Vermillion Basin and other areas would make mineral development easier, and recognizing such claims could literally pave the way for such development.

Moffat County's resolution admits that the County's highway claims include hiking trails, cow paths, and horse trails. The claims include paths that are not maintained, not currently used, and not even visible on the ground. However, by claiming these routes under RS 2477, Moffat County is labeling the routes as "constructed highways." If these claims are approved, Moffat County could "maintain" the routes as two-lane gravel roads for public highway use, leading to the degradation of the area's ecology and pristine wilderness.

How You Can Help
Write elected officials and the US Fish and Wildlife Service staff and tell them to protect the Refuge by opposing the RS 2477 claims there:

• Contact the Director of BLM's Colorado State office: Ron Wenker, Director, Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land Management, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, CO 80215-7076. Tel: 303-239-3700. Fax: 303-239-3934. EMAIL ron_wenker@blm.gov.
• Write to your local member of Congress, and Colorado Senators Wayne Allard and Ben Campbell.

For More Information

• Jen Seidenberg, Colorado Wilderness Network, PO Box 771045, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477. Tel & fax: 970-871-1786.