The Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) announced today that it is seeking individuals to assist in the implementation of wide-ranging strategies that will improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas in the West.
The WRAP is a follow-up organization to the Grand Canyon Visibility Transportation Commission, which made over 70 recommendations last year to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for improving visibility at national parks and wilderness areas on the Colorado Plateau. It is now seeking anyone interested in air quality issues, including state and tribal citizens, elected officials, academia and representatives from the business and environmental communities, to help in implementing those recommendations. The WRAP's membership includes representatives from 10 western states, tribes, federal land management agencies and the EPA.
"This is a unique opportunity for Westerners to participate in a stateof-the-art policymaking endeavor," said Utah Governor Mike Leavitt, co-chair of the WRAP. "The Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission was unique in that it was a consensus-based stakeholder process that developed specific recommendations to address the issue of visibility impairment on the Colorado Plateau. The WRAP will advance our effort to develop a regional approach to address this environmental challenge."
Pueblo of Acoma Governor Ron Shutiva, co-chair of the WRAP, has expressed support for continued regional cooperation between Indian tribes, states and other interests. "The Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission was both a historic and unique opportunity for tribes to participate in regional decision-making. There are many environmental, cultural, social and economic issues of importance to the tribes. Not only were these concerns effectively voiced during the Grand Canyon process, but incorporated into the recommendations report of the Commission. The tribes want these recommendations implemented, with tribal input," Shutiva said.
The WRAP is seeking individuals to serve on several forums, its Public Advisory Board,Communications Committee, and International Projects Committee. The forums will address technical issues and policy topics related to emissions reduction and management. Among the topics to be addressed are renewable and efficient energy sources, clean fuel strategies, economic incentives and pricing strategies for emission reductions, and managing emissions from wild and prescribed fires.
Interested individuals should contact either John Leary at the Western Governors' Association or Jerry Pardilla with the National Tribal Environmental Council. Information about the WRAP and the committees is also available on the WRAP's web page.
Governor Michael 0. Leavitt
State of Utah, Co-Chair
Governor Ron D. Shutiva
Pueblo of Acoma, Co-Chair
Staffed by:
Western Governors' Association, 600 17th Street, Ste 1705 S., Denver,CO 80202, Ph (303) 623-9375, Fax (303) 534-7309 National Tribal Environmental Council, 2221 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, Ph (505) 242-2175, Fax (505) 242-2654