Sen. Crapo Named River Champion for 2009
American Rivers named Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) as a 2009 River Champion.
Crapo has been a champion of Idaho’s rivers and has worked to pass legislation to designate 16 rivers within the Owyhee Canyonlands as National Wild and Scenic Rivers.
Kevin Lewis, conservation program director of Idaho Rivers United, said “Senator Crapo’s leadership during the eight-year-long Owyhee Initiative collaborative process gave us much more than Wild and Scenic Rivers, new wilderness, and healthier communities. He showed Idahoans and folks across the U.S. how much can be accomplished when people come together, and work together to resolve differences and find common ground.”
Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers, said "The protections for the Owyhee Canyonlands passed as a part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 which designated 86 new Wild and Scenic Rivers, totaling over 1,100 miles in eight states including Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Senator Crapo was instrumental in bringing together members of Congress across the political spectrum to pass this monumental piece of legislation.”
“The work that all parties did on the Owyhee Initiative has proven that the collaborative process works, and the protection of natural resources is a key element of the legislation,” Crapo said. “Again, I thank the Owyhee County Commissioners, Shoshone-Paiute tribes and all the members of the Owyhee Initiative Work Group for their hard work over a long period of time.”
The award has been given out annually to members of U.S. Congress who have shown outstanding leadership in protecting rivers.