Letter to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House Proposing Additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System

Dear Mr. President: (Dear Mr. Speaker: )

Just 60 miles from the Los Angeles metropolitan area lies a wilderness of rocky cliffs and deep canyons inhabited only by rare California condors, deer, and other wildlife.

Just last February I asked the Congress to declare this area--the San Rafael Wilderness--a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, both for the enjoyment of our own and future generations and as a symbol of man's respect for nature's work.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 gives us the authority to preserve this region and others like it. When I signed that Act in September 1964 1 noted that it was a major conservation measure which would preserve millions of "acres of this vast continent in their original and unchanging beauty and wonder."

I now propose that three additional areas--in California, Oregon, and Wyoming-also be proclaimed wilderness areas. This action will not cost the American taxpayer a penny. But it will enrich the lives of every citizen.

The Federal Government already has jurisdiction over these lands. They have been the subjects of open hearings and intensive studies and have been recommended by the Secretary of Agriculture for inclusion in the wilderness system.

These three areas are admirably suited to become additions to that system.

The proposed San Gabriel Wilderness in California is a part of the Angeles National Forest and comprises some 36,000 acres of primitive mountain terrain some 35 miles northeast of the City of Los Angeles. It is uninhabited and provides much needed opportunities for hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, and other public use.

The Mt. Jefferson Wilderness would comprise 96,000 acres now included within the Willamette, Deschutes, and Mt. Hood National Forests, some 60 miles from Salem, Oregon. This wilderness contains the second tallest peak in Oregon, nearly 150 lakes, 160 miles of trails, and good fishing and hunting.

The proposed Washakie Wilderness, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming, includes nearly 680,000 acres. This area provides excellent hunting, a rugged region for hiking, and an opportunity to discover petrified remains of ancient forests.

I urge the Congress to preserve these priceless national assets by approving their inclusion in the wilderness system.

Sincerely,

LYNDON B. JOHNSON