Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Ms. Hawkes. Senator McClure, I thought it was really important for me to take the time off work today to come to tell you how I feel about the present and future generations of Idaho who deserve the option of having our wilderness lands protected. I'm a teacher and a summer camp counselor for children and I take them on hikes everyday into the White Clouds, the Pioneers. Myself, I've been fishing and camping every weekend when I'm not with the kids and when I was on top of Black Dome a couple weeks ago and I looked across to the Lost River Range and I saw Borah Peak and other areas that are being considered in this wil derness proposal, I felt very humble and I was very grateful to be a resident of a State that has more wild, unroaded, public land than any other State. I would urge you to take your time carefully and slowly consider these wilderness areas under consideration, not to succumb to the pressures of the mining and timber industries. As chairman of the Energy and Resource Committee, your role in preserving the quality of life, not only for our whole country, but for our State, is a powerful one. Please stress that a wilderness built for Idaho be considered separately so that above all we who life here can be proud of our home as a refuge for wildlife and a haven for visitors from other States already exploded by industry. Thank you.