Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

STATE OF IDAHO Senator Williams. Thank you, Senator McClure. I appreciate this opportunity to testify on this occasion. And my stand is that 32-426 0— 84 46 698 I'm opposed to any further designation of wilderness in the great State of Idaho. We need to look at the future of our economic situa tion. Idaho has already contributed 3,825,900 acres of national forest to the National Wilderness Preservation System, and an additional 1,035,600-plus acres that have been recommended for wilderness classification, and has another 630,924 acres being studied for possi ble designation as wilderness. Over 2 million additional acres of BLM land that has been recommended — or is being studied for rec ommendation as wilderness. Idaho has experienced job losses and deletion of its resource base due to wilderness classification and continuing wilderness studies. We need development of our resources — timber, minerals, grazing, to assure a tax base for education and job security for future gen erations. I've been a victim of over-regulation and abuse of our resource development by Federal legislation, and I'd like to tell you by expe rience. I used to own a ranch out of West Yellowstone, Mont., and when I purchased the ranch we had considerable grazing rights and permits with that ranch, and the Forest Service assured me that they wouldn't cut those permits and allotments because there was plenty of vegetation and grazing available. Well, I went on for a few years and finally they notified me that they were going to cut my allotments. I asked them, why, because there was plenty of feed there that was going to waste, so much grass that it was a fire hazard and there was just no need to cut grazing. The forest ranger looked me in the eye and he said, Mr. Williams, this is a recreation area; all we want is enough grazing here to make it look picturesque, just enough cattle to make it look picturesque. It really threw me for a loss, because any cut in that allotment was detrimental. There wasn't enough rights there to make a living anyway. So, I feel that we can over-legislate. We can lock up the areas that need to be redeveloped and that we need to look to the future generations. This State is large enough for plenty of recreation and resource mineral, timber development as it is. Thank you.