Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

NORTHWEST MINING ASSOCIATION Mr. Mote. Senator, I represent the Northwest Mining Association, about 2,500 people in mining, and principally in the Northwest. I'm going to avoid covering what's written in the statement and try to accent just on four points: If you will call forward and make part of the testimony the Bureau of Mines data on economic minerals that they have prepared that have not been presented; the geologic survey review on potentials of the areas; the BLM on the existing claims which would create the problems in settlement of those claims with valid rights; and add to that the industry data that your receive for the day, and the industry data that's been submitted time and again since the RARE II process came forward. I think that if you put those units of information together that there would be no question but what it is simply foolish to withdraw major amounts of additional land in the wilderness system. Idaho has done its share, the minerals are critical, and we believe very strongly that those lands should remain open for multiple use management.