Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Curtis. Senator McClure, my name is Dick Curtis, I live in Idaho Falls. I would like to go on record as supporting the 1978 citi zen's alternative W as a minimum area for wilderness designation. Idaho is blessed with unique wilderness areas that every year draw increasing numbers of tourists to the State. I feel that the tourist industry is now and will remain far more important from an eco nomic standpoint than those timber and mineral resources that might be extracted through a one-shot destruction of these wilder ness areas. Not only would development of these areas destroy the fish and wildlife habitat, but subsequently the resource itself which all Idahoans now take pride in. Wilderness is rapidly diminishing in the lower 48 States and will soon become a commodity with rap idly increasing value as present and future generations seek out the recreational values offered by these remaining areas. A second point I feel very strongly about is the use of taxpayers money to develop roads to provide access to timber sales by private lumber companies. Often the cost of these roads exceeds the value of the timber harvested. I would like to go on record as strongly opposing the use of tax dollars by the Forest Service to subsidize the lumber industry. I have consistently voted for fiscal conserv atism in the leadership of this country and this State. I, therefore, request that the Senators and Representatives representing Idaho in the Congress of the United States live up to their promises of being fiscally conservative and responsible. Finally, I would urge that 10 key areas be given immediate pro-, tection as an Idaho Core Wilderness. These areas are Long CanyonSelkirk Crest, Mallard-Larkins, Great Burn-Cayuse Creek, Payette Crest, Sawtooth Completion, White Cloud-Boulder Mountains, Northern Lemhis, Palisades, Garns Mountain, and Salmo-Priest. I have personally explored most of these areas and can attest to their excellent wilderness characteristics. I feel, in preparing a wilderness bill to protect the areas men tioned throughout this statement, you should not include any lan 726 guage that would permanently ban any future wilderness consider ation for any areas not classified now. Let the future generations have an opportunity to make these decisions. Thank you.