Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Trueblood. Thank you, Senator. I would like you to know the people in my family have been supporting the protection of natural resources for at least 50 years in Idaho and nationwide. I think now it's fallen to my turn and we're not going to stop. I support the granting of wilderness status for the areas identi fied by the Idaho Conservation League as the Endangered Wilder ness Creek and I intend to support the conservationist's and sports men's proposal when it is released this fall. I am opposed to the use of hard release language in wilderness legislation. I support soft re lease but I really feel it would be more proper in any area that re search indicated needed protection, could be protected as wilder 449 ness at any time, regardless of waiting for a Forest Service cycle to come in around 15 years. I feel that any areas so rugged and remote that timber sales would fall into a deficit category should be protected as wilderness now. Deficit timber sales are a wretched example of fiscal misman agement, which should be outlawed. Of all the taxpayer-supported subsidies to industry, this one is particularly offensive because it makes the public pay a company to cut public trees from public land and keep the profit. It's like paying a thief to come to your house to rob you. In any area where the establishment of wilderness could enhance the future of anadromous fish, I feel the issue should be sufficient reason to grant said protection and I would really think that it would behoove every sportsman and fisherman, all the way down to Columbia to be here to say the same thing. Specific areas most people have mentioned a lot of times. When I worked for the Forest Service in the late 1960's we surveyed two roads in the Deadwood Country and they were both abandoned be cause the road was — the terrain was too steep to support a perma nent road and I think this area should be protected as wilderness. Pioneer Mountains, I would support wilderness for. The White Cloud Boulder area. The people of Idaho have repeatedly supported wilderness or projects in the White Cloud Boulder area and I really think that should just go without saying. It should be protected. The roadless areas are an asset, especially, I think, the ones close to civilization. The Breadwinner area north of Arrowrock Reservoir is a major migration corridor for an estimated 12,000 of the 20,000 to 30,000 deer in the Boise River deer herd. It also — from time to time some outstanding trainer hunting, rough grasses, bluegrass hunting