| Application
proceeding for Salmon River Gun Club site
Idaho County Commissioner Jim Rehder reported the application for the county to obtain thirty nine acres of land approximately 2 miles north of Riggins from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to be used as a new site for the Salmon River Gun Club is proceeding. 
Riggins was slated to get a new site for its gun club as part of a land exchange that would have resulted in the lower 112 miles of the Salmon River canyon being designated as Wild & Scenic. After several months of meetings and presentations and taking input from the residents of Idaho County, the opposition to the designation was clear. Rehder noted the current cooperative Salmon River management between the BLM, State of Idaho, Idaho County and the local residents is working very well. The motto, "If it's not broken, don't fix it," is now widely accepted in opposing the Wild and Scenic designation. This action left Salmon River Gun Club without the site they planned for their gun range. Commissioner Rehder, in cooperation with BLM Cottonwood Field Office manager Will Runnoe and the Salmon River Gun Club Chairman Justin Mann and Vice Chairman Rodger Laughlin, recognized the need to seek another avenue to convey this BLM land to Idaho County. Rehder has submitted the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) application for the land transfer. The hurdle to gaining the transfer lies in the landfill on the site that was used by the city of Riggins in the early 1960’s. The Idaho County Commissioners have reported to the BLM, the county will assume all liability of the land including the landfill as there are many similar sites in the county that are not a problem. Idaho's Congressional delegates, US Senators Crapo and Risch and US Representative Minnick, are supportive of the project and are working to help find a solution to the transfer of the BLM land to the county in the near future. Rehder stated, "The proposed Riggins Gun Range makes sense at that location." The Salmon River Gun Club is holding a fundraiser dinner on August 21st at 5:30 PM, MDT. Rehder traveled to Riggins on July 24 to add his support and buy his ticket for the fundraiser, and encourages everyone to support this worthy cause. Tickets are limited. |
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