Supporters of a wilderness designation for Rocky Mountain National Park have learned not to hold their breath.

Still, news that the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed legislation that would give RMNP wilderness status is welcome, if maybe a bit warily. After all, this effort has only taken 34 years to get this far.

Colorado's congressional delegation is on board with the effort to place 249,339 acres of the park under a wilderness designation, as well as a small portion of nearby U.S. Forest Service land. The park has operated under wilderness guidelines for decades, and President Nixon was the first to propose the official designation in the early 1970s, so visitors would not likely notice the difference.

Over the decades, the wilderness status has been thwarted for various reasons. But this time, neighboring communities and local county governments are united in their support of the legislation. The roadblock in this recent legislation has been the liability of the Fort Collins-based Water Supply and Storage Co., which maintains an integral ditch that runs through the park.

The Department of Interior and National Park Service opposed a proposal to limit the liability of the company should negligence in ditch operations harm the park. However, the latest version of the bill addresses those concerns by removing the wilderness designation from a 200-foot setback along the ditch to allow for ditch maintenance and operations, but it also includes stricter liability requirements should damage occur. The compromise is a positive step and should be the impetus for final congressional approval.

Rocky Mountain National Park is a national treasure. Congress should recognize this by endorsing the wilderness designation to protect the natural legacy for the future.