Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Baldwin. Mr. McClure and staff, I am Daniel Baldwin from Elk City. Ive been a resident of Idaho County all my life, which is 39 years. I am married and have one 10-year old child. We have built our own log home in the Elk City area. My wife and I are both employed at Shearer Lumber Products. We feel we are very fortunate to live in the area and have steady employment with suf ficient income to make ends meet. But the future in Idaho County will not be bright unless we can settle these land issues. Our timber industry, county planners, and school systems have based their future plans upon the availability of a major portion of the roadless areas for timber harvest. On the Nez Perce Forest we cannot afford to have any more of these lands locked up. Please work toward the resolution of the following points: No. 1, the release of all RARE I lands released to multiple use development by individual unit plans; No. 2, the immediate release to multiple use of all those RARE II lands released to multiple use development by committee language attached to the Central Idaho Wilderness Act, mainly Jersey Jack, Mallard Creek, Bargamin Creek, Running Creek, East and West Meadow Creek, the immediate release of those lands covered in the Gospel Hump Multiple Resource Development Area plans, no changes or multiple—excuse me—no changes or modifications to the present boundaries, no deferred or further study status to any of the lands in question. Having been raised on a small farm with a large family, I think I know what it takes to grow something like a vegetable or a tree. Having traveled extensively in our roaded and roadless areas, I know that there is a lot of good soil out there. I know that the log—that logging will be done under very strict guidelines. If there is a—if that tree out there is not of quality at this time, we can grow a better one next time. Looking back some 30 years, I will say our streams are as clean as they were 30 years ago. Logging and game management are very compatible. Our Idaho Fish and Game Department has let 500—500 elk permits in hunting Unit 14 and 537 200 cow permits in Unit 16 this year in 1983. These are two extensive roaded areas. And I have submitted a map with outlines to that effect. The fish and game have not allowed the harvest of one cow elk in any of our back country or wilderness areas for several years. Thank you very much.