Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Wolfe. Senator McClure, my name is Charles Wolfe, a resident of Coeur d’Alene. Retired service engineer. Most of my life spent in what's now known as high tech. I feel that the multiple use concept is pretty much fraud. It's almost entirely dominated by the timber and mining interests and very little concern for the rest of our needs or interests. Timber and mining come and go. And I've seen hundreds and hundreds of towns and small cities in which the lumber interests have moved out both on the east and on the west coasts. Many people unemployed. Scabbed over landscapes. And there's not much attention given to even repairing the damage that's done. Move on to some other area. And this will occur in this area, too. I feel that the greatest and foremost economy for north Idaho and the greatest opportunity that the people here have is in the small, clean industries far exceeding the number of employees and the type of lifestyle that the timber industry can never furnish. The timber industry will leave in time. I'm sure of that. It may be only a matter of 10 years some will be pulling out. I believe we should give a lot to the opportunities of this sort in north Idaho. And there's nothing more demanding and more aesthetic than two issues of this sort than clean water and unspoiled, natural forests. I myself have worked with these boys all my life. And many thousands of them could move in here. Could be another Silver Valley as I see it because it has tremendous features and usage of this type of industry.