Remarks on Signing Into Law the Central Idaho Wilderness Act of 1980

THE PRESIDENT. Senator Frank Church and Governor John Evans, Secretary Cecil Andrus, distinguished members of the leadership in Idaho and throughout the country who believes in the beauty of our Nation and who have sound judgment in coordinating adequate development of our natural resources with the preservation of that beauty:

It is indeed a pleasure for me to be with you.

A few minutes ago I was talking to my own staff members and to Senator Church and to Cecil Andrus. I think if I had to pick out the three or four best days of my life in politics, it was the time I spent going down the Salmon River by raft two summers ago. This was a delightful trip. Not only was it restful and filled with beauty, but also we had good companionship with me and Cecil Andrus. And I might add that my raft caught more trout than his raft did— [laughter] —at least that's the official Government position. [Laughter]

The River of No Return, encompassing the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, is indeed one of our Nation's treasures. This legislation, introduced, sponsored by Senator Frank Church, is the largest single contribution to the wilderness area in the lower 48 States, and I think is a major step forward toward preserving what we have as a precious treasure for this generation and for our children's children as well.

There are special provisions in it which are innovative in nature. A small region of the area will have special attention given to cobalt mining, for instance, designed very carefully not to disturb the beauty of the rest of the region. There's been a careful balance between the prospect of harvesting of timber and the preservation of these wonderful areas surrounding the wilderness area itself.

When I was first elected President, I sent to the Congress in 1977 an environmental message, which has been the guideline for our administration and which has been remarkably successful in its own implementation. I called for a substantial increase in the wilderness areas, and since then we have added 4.7 million acres of wilderness area to be preserved and protected for the benefit of American citizens. This is a 48-percent increase in the total wilderness area in just the last 3 years.

We now face another, even more important-and I say that very cautiously, knowing my audience—a more important decision as we face the Alaska lands legislation. Within this century there hardly can be a more important decision for the Congress to make than how to treat the preservation of the Alaska lands, that are so vital, and also the proper utilization of natural resources in that new State of our country.

But this morning I am grateful to sign into law Senate bill 9009, sponsored by, promoted by, and sustained by Senator Frank Church, with the strong support of Governor Evans, Cecil Andrus, also Secretary Bob Bergland, and the Agricultural Committee, and of course many Members of the Congress. And it's with a great deal of gratitude to them and to all of you who've been responsible for this success that I sign this bill into law.

Following my signature, I would like to ask Senator Frank Church if he would make comments concerning the significance of this legislation to his own State and to our country.

[At this point, the President signed the bill.]

SENATOR CHURCH. Mr. President, Secretary Andrus, Governor Evans, ladies and gentlemen:

First of all, Mr. President, I congratulate you on your catch on the Salmon.

THE PRESIDENT. We released them all, by the way. [Laughter]

SENATOR CHURCH. We trained those fish very carefully. [Laughter]

THE PRESIDENT. If you're going to say that, I'll say we released almost all of them. [Laughter]

SENATOR CHURCH. This is a great moment for Idaho. And I know I speak on behalf of Governor John Evans, who's long been a strong advocate of this wilderness, and Cecil Andrus, who as Governor promoted it and has continued to give it his consistent and sustained support, when I say how grateful we are to you for signing into law this morning a bill that will create the finest wilderness in the American West, outside of Alaska.

This bill, Mr. President, has been 2 years in genesis. We held hearings in Idaho last year at which more than 650 witnesses testified, which is indicative of the intense interest of the State in the preservation of this magnificent back country of Idaho. The bill brings to a close 15 years of controversy as we classify this beautiful area. And I think that we have done it in a way, Mr. President, that will assure no impediment to the Idaho economy. The mining activity, the national need for cobalt and molybdenum has been taken into full consideration in the delineation of the borders, and there has been no trespass upon the working forests of our State. So, it is, I think, a piece of legislation which will serve our people well, both the people of Idaho and the people of the Nation.

And so, Mr. President, we thank you for this culmination today, by your signature, creating the River of No Return Wilderness, which will serve Idaho and the Nation for many years to come.
Thank you very much.

SECRETARY ANDRUS. Mr. President, it may be raining in your Rose Garden, but it's a great day for Idaho. As Senator Church has pointed out, it's been a long time coming to this, to where we can have that pristine area that you visited and caught and released many of our trout. We invite you to come back in your second term of office and enjoy it again, or after you complete the second term in '85, maybe we can—

THE PRESIDENT. We will. Thank you. [Laughter]

SECRETARY ANDRUS. You're welcome. It might be a possibility.

But we sincerely appreciate you helping us bring to a close the 8 years that I've been involved in this, and the appreciation of Idaho goes to you, sir. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT. Thank you very much.

I very quickly realized, as we started down the river on adjoining rafts, that my invitation from Cecil to go down this area was not entirely altruistic in nature— [laughter] —because by the time we ended our 3- or 4-day trip, I was well versed in all the arguments, pro and con, and I became an avid supporter of this legislation.

John Evans, I would like to have you comment.

GOVERNOR EVANS. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

You know, over a lifetime of public service, we look at things that we've taken part in, and there's nothing more exciting for me, as Governor of the State of Idaho at this time in our history, to have been a part of the development, the support, the outlining of the Central Idaho Wilderness Area, the River of No Return.

I want to particularly thank Senator Frank Church for the outstanding leadership that he provided to secure the passage of this legislation not only through the Senate but through the House of Representatives. He had tremendous opposition from some of our citizens in Idaho, but he had the strength of conviction to move ahead and do what was right, what was right for not only Idaho but for the entire Nation.

And I look on this wilderness area as something we've set aside for the future of this country, for the children of this country. So, it's a great pleasure of mine, as Governor of Idaho, to participate in this ceremony. And, Mr. President, once again, on behalf of the people of Idaho and the people of America, thank you very much for your part in setting aside the River of No Return Wilderness Area. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT. Good luck to you. Thank you all very much.

I'd like to ask you all to move to the Hill now and help us with Alaska[inaudible]. [Laughter]