Brown County commissioners vote 2–1 to send letter urging Congress to expand Dean Wilderness and create Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area

Brown County commissioners on a split vote moved to send a county-drafted letter to the Indiana congressional delegation urging reintroduction of legislation to expand the Charles C. Dean Wilderness and create the Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area.

The board’s chair read the draft resolution into the record, citing Senate Bill 4402 and House Bill 8535 as the legislative vehicles. Jeff, the presenter who led the briefing, told commissioners the proposal would expand the Dean Wilderness by roughly 28,253 acres and create a surrounding national recreation area of about 30,000 acres, and that the boundaries include no private land. "This legislation will be a monumental step forward, protecting, enhancing Indiana's public lands while honoring President Benjamin Harrison's commitment to conservation," the draft read aloud by the chair.

Jeff summarized the bill’s design and responses to Forest Service concerns, saying the draft includes six non‑wilderness corridors to preserve mechanized access where needed. He also cited a commissioned economic assessment: "The economist came up with an annual benefit of $235,000,000, and then over 30 years that added up to $5,400,000,000," he said, explaining the study used analogous peer-region research to value recreation, water protection and related ecosystem services.

Commissioners and staff questioned the bill’s management implications and how corridor design would affect trail maintenance and wildfire response; Jeff and staff responded that the 200-foot non‑wilderness corridors were expressly written to allow realignment and mechanized access where required.

The meeting then opened for public comment. Dozens of residents, conservation advocates and local officials spoke in favor. Dr. Christy Crandall, who identified herself as a hydrogeologist and a member of Friends of Lake Monroe, said the group "wholeheartedly endorse[s] this expansion" because it would help protect water quality in Lake Monroe. Several other speakers emphasized tourism and outdoor‑recreation benefits and local economic gains from increased visitation.

One resident, John Mattingly, urged the board not to send the letter, arguing the designation could limit longstanding local trail access and local forest-management flexibility. "Do not send the letter," Mattingly said.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to send the letter of support; the motion passed by roll call 2 to 1, with one commissioner recorded as voting no and two recorded as voting yes. The board’s action is limited to sending a letter of support and does not change local land ownership or federal authority; congressional action would be required to enact any boundary or designation changes.

Next steps noted by commissioners: the drafted letter will be transmitted to the listed congressional offices, and the county will continue to gather public input and provide technical information requested by federal agencies.