Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Gorman. Thank you Senator McClure, Congressman Craig for allowing us to voice our opinions. I've been sitting here listening to some eloquent and emotionally charged pleas to leave the wild and wilderness areas untouched. I can't do better than some of the testimony that has been made as to the reasons why, but I think as an Idahoan and a taxpayer and as also a conservationalist and sportsman, I have to agree with the statements that were made earlier. But also I would like to point out to the Senators that mining and logging are short term economic enterprises and the areas of the Oregon coast, which I'm familiar with, point out that logging leaves irreparable injury to the habitat even with the land recla mations that is required. And someone need not go all the way to West Virginia to see what mining, even with some of the finest reclamation, can do to an area. I'm here to say that we have a resource, that it can be managed in a better way through tourism, which is our growing and will be a sustaining economic enterprise for our State and one that will not be smeltered down, trucked away or burned by careless matches on open areas. It will be one who will have— in an industry for us in the year 2000 and will not be played out as a classroom word in 10 years. Thank you.