Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Ruppel. Thank you for arranging this opportunity for citizens to speak today. My name is Stephen A. Ruppel. I reside at 1110 St. Maries here in Coeur d’Alene. I am speaking as a private citizen today for two positions I would like to see included in a good wilderness bill. In summary, these are: One, inclusion of areas designated wilderness for North Idaho. Specifically the Salmo-Priest, Long Canyon, and Mallard-Larkins areas. And two, no exclusion of areas designated wilderness study in any legislation. As fishermen and backpackers, my wife and I have hiked in the Long Canyon drainage, the Salmo-Priest trails, and the St. Joe Lake area of the proposed Mallard-Larkins areas. These areas are important wildlife and fish habitat and watershed as well as recreational. They should be included in an expanded North Idaho and Eastern Washington wilderness system. Wilderness areas will attract tourists and clean tourist dollars to our area. These tourists will use the wilderness and contiguous State and national forest campgrounds for extended stays to see one of the last large wilderness systems in the lower 48 States. As a taxpayer, I support legislation to support the growing tourist industry, the second largest industry in our country. I do not support any legislation which would tax subsidized roadbuilding in the areas with little sustainable timber potential. Lack of timber potential should not be the criteria for what we will allow to become wilderness, however, I enjoy hiking in dense, old growth forest when I can. This is an opportunity which will diminish if all high quality timber producing areas are cut on an accelerated schedule. We in Idaho are the trustees for a great deal of the remaining wilderness in the United States. We must protect and expand wilderness protection in our Nation as a whole and 292 that means that high quality areas in North Idaho must expand. We have some of the most beautiful areas left to do this. Leave 2 or 3 million more of this country as God made it. There is nothing that says we have the current hold on wisdom for all time. Therefore, let's not designate or not designate every acre at this time. What is the hurry? Future generations may wish to categorize land differently based on other technology, changing human interests, or hopefully a greater regard for the right to coexist with us on this planet. I also would like to mention that I would appreciate evening hearings in the future. I find it difficult to break away from work to come down.