Chase Lake Wilderness Proposal Consists of 4,155 Acres, Which Is 230 Acres Less Than the Entire Refuge
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92d Congress, 2d Session ----------- House Document No. 92-357C ']/ b ^ ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM COMMUNICATION FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TRANSMITTING PROPOSALS FOR SIXTEEN ADDITIONS TO THE NA- TIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM, PUR- SUANT TO 16 USC 1132, TOGETHER WITH THE EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM, PURSUANT TO 6 USC 1136 PART 14 CHASE LAKE WILDERNESS CHASE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SEPTEMBER 21, 1972. —Referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and ordered to be printed with illustrations U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1972 THE WHITE HOUSE WAS H I N GTO N September 21, 1972 Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to the Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964, I am pleased to transmit herewith proposals for sixteen additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System. As described in the Wilderness Message that I am sending to the Congress today, these proposed new wilderness areas cover a total of nearly 3. 5 million primeval acres. Two other possibilities considered by the Secretary of the Interior in his review of roadless areas of 5, 000 acres or more -- White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, and Padre Island National Seashore, Texas -- were found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the Wilderness System. I concur in this finding and in the sixteen favorable recommendations of the Secretary of the Interior, all of which are transmitted herewith. Concurrent with the wilderness proposals, I am also trans- mitting the Eighth Annual Report on the Status of the National Wilderness Preservation System which covers calendar year 1971. Sincerely, Honorable Carl Albert Speaker of the House United States House of Representatives Washington, B.C. 20515 United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, B.C. 20240 September 14, 1972 Dear Mr. President: It is with pleasure that I recommend the establishment of Chase Lake Wilderness within the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge as a unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Section 3(c) of the Wilderness Act (approved September 3, 1964; ?8 Stat. 890, 892; 16 U.S.C. 1132 (c)), directs the Secretary of the Interior to review roadless areas of 5,000 acres or more in the national parks, monuments, other units of the National Park System, wildlife refuges and game ranges, and report to the President his recommendation as to the suitability of each such area for preser- vation as wilderness. In defining areas suitable for wilderness the Act also includes roadless areas and islands within the National Wildlife Refuge System that are of sufficient size to make practical its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition. The Act further directs the President to advise the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of his recommendation with respect to the designation of each such area as wilderness. A recommendation of the President for designation as wilderness shall become effective only if so provided by an Act of Congress. Based upon a recent review of such a roadless area within the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, we recommend that U,155 acres be designated as wilderness. The 230 acres of refuge excluded from wilderness consideration are separated from the remainder of the refuge by a 90-foot high steel tower transmission line, which we believe to be incompatible with the wilderness concept. Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located 35 miles west of Jamestown, North Dakota. The area proposed for wilderness desig- nation includes Chase Lake, two islands therein, and surrounding acreage. Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge is host to the largest colony of white pelicans in the.world. Other birds of interest which nest in abundance on the refuge include double- crested cormorants, California gulls, ring-billed bulls and several species of waterfowl. A fine variety of other prairie nesting bird species are present, along with mammals such as badger, coyote, white-tailed jackrabbit, and white-tailed deer. The area lies on the eastern edge of the Missouri Plateau in a unique belt of glacial moraine called the Coteau which dates from the Cretaceous Age of 120 million years ago. The prairie is abruptly rolling with depressions between the hills, called potholes, which are famous for waterfowl production. The area is of great interest to scientists and nature lovers. This proposal presents a rare opportunity to set aside a unique piece of natural prairie habitat with a multitude of wildlife inhabitants. The results of the study indicate it would be a valuable addition to the variety of habitat types which are preserved in the National Wilderness Preservation System. In accordance with the requirements of the Wilderness Act, notice of a public hearing of the wilderness proposal was issuad by the Department. All interested local, State, and Federal agencies and officials were notified of the hearing, which was held in Jamestown, North Dakota. The communications presented at the hearings by private parties and the above agencies and officials are summarized in the enclosed synopsis. A complete record has been compiled for the proposal, including written statements and oral testimony received in response to our announcement of public hearings. This record is, of course, available for inspection. On the basis of our review, I believe that the roadless area identified herein in Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge is suitable for designation as wilderness. Enclosed is a draft bill which, if enacted, would incorporate this area into the National Wilderness Preservation System. A draft environmental impact statement, as required by section 102 (2) (C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, is enclosed. Respectfully yours, cretary of the Interior The President The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 Enclosures A BILL To designate certain lands in the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Stutsman County, North Dakota, as wilderness. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in accordance with section 3(c) of the Wilderness Act of September 3> 196k, (78 Stat. 890, 892; 16 U.S.C. 1132(c)), certain lands in the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota, which comprise about four thousand one hundred and fifty-five acres and which are depicted on a map entitled "Chase Lake Wilderness - Proposed" and dated September 1971, are hereby designated wilderness. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of the Interior. SEC. 2. As soon as practicable after this Act takes effect, a map of the wilderness area and a description of its boundaries shall be filed with the Interior and Insular Affairs Committees of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and such map and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act: Provided, however, That correction of clerical and typographical errors in such legal description and map may be made. SEC. 3. The area designated by this Act as wilderness shall be known as the "Chase Lake Wilderness" and shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Wilderness Act governing areas designated 'by that Act as wilderness areas, except that any reference in such provisions to the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the effective date of this Act, and any reference to the Secretary of Agriculture shall be deemed to be a reference to the Secretary of the Interior. SYNOPSIS OK CHASE LAKH WII,UKI;:iKS3 PROPOSAL A. BACKGROUND The Chr.se Lake Wilderness Proposal compriser, '(,155 acres of the '1,385 acre Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The 230 acres of refuse ex- cluded fro::i Wilderness consideration are separated from the remainder of the refuse by a 90 foot high steel tower transmission line which is incompatible in a wilderness. » The rcfuje vas established by Executive Order 932 in 1908 primarily for the protection of white pelicans which had been reduced by shooting from thousands to only 50 birds. In order to better protect the wild- • life end improve waterfowl habitat, additional lands were acquired in the late 1950's which now provide a margin of prairie between the Chase Lake shoreline and the boundary of the refuge. Other birds of interest vhich nest in abundance on the refuse include double-crested cormorants , California nulls, ring-billed gulls and several species of waterfowl. A fine variety of other prairie nesting bird species are present along with ^ marmals such as badger, coyote, white-tailed jackrabbit, white-tailed deer, and many more. Chase Lake NVJR is located 8 miles north of Crystal Springs which is 35 miles west of Ja.rn.ostown, North Dakota. -. • Public use include photography, bird watching and big garr.e hunting. These uses will be monitored to assure no over use or access will occur during the nesting season or when disturbance could be detrimental factor to the wildlife. 83-795 O - 72 - pt. 14-2 No structures ore present though a small old dike contains a fresh water marsh and an old prairie trails rins the southern half of the lake. The early history of the .area records the buttles between the Sioux In- dians and General Sibley's troops following the Sioux uprising in Minn- esota during 1062-63- A battle was foucht near Chase Lake vhere old trench fortifications are still visible in the adjacent prairies. B. DESCRIPTION The refuse lies in that part of the Missouri Plateau known as the Coteau. This glacial drift area is hilly and pock-narked with many depressions and overlays a bedrock of Pierre Shale from the Cretaceans Age of 120 million years ago.