Land exchange bill not likely this year

Bear Ranch is having to face the reality that legislation for their proposed federal land exchange will probably not be happening this year.

In an April 30 interview, Rob Gill, Bear Ranch manager, explained that Sen. Mark Udall has not offered to introduce the Central Rockies Land Exchange bill and "therefore it was not likely to happen until after the first of the year."

Gill added, "It's Sen. Udall's committee in the Senate so if he is not going to introduce it this year then I don't think [Rep. Scott] Tipton will either."

Bear Ranch still wants as part of the proposal a multi-purpose trail head at Buck Creek Ranch and a non- motorized trail and a separate motorized trail. What changed significantly, Gill said, was that the Gunnison County Trails Commission and the Gunnison County Board of Commissioners agreed to drop the trail proposed to run parallel to the Raggeds Trail.

Asked how the proposed oil and gas lease sales will affect the Bear Ranch land exchange, Gill responded, "We will just have to deal with whatever comes our way.

"We know there are other interests out there," Gill said. "SG has some leases up here. Obviously, Gunnison Energy does. We don't . . . Gunnison Energy doesn't have any interest in Delta County," Gill said about the parcels nominated for the lease sale.

"We try to keep them totally separate because they are. Certainly, I see there are people trying to drag the land exchange into the oil and gas debate even though it really has nothing to do with it. As far as we are concerned . . . we are going to move forward with the exchange itself."

He noted the oil and gas leases seem to be on a faster track than the land exchange.

In other Bear Ranch news, a security alarm that went off at 1:50 p.m. last Wednesday at the Bear Ranch Mine Entrance was a false alarm. Gill said one of the buildings at the western town construction site has an entrance called the Mine Entrance.

This was one of the old buildings moved over to Bear Ranch. "It was called the Mine Building at Buckskin Joe's, and we kept the name for the purpose of identifying the building," Gill said.

Plans call for the Western Village to include a mining museum that is still under development.

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