Hearing on the San Rafael Swell National Conservation Area
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HEARING ON THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS OF THE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H.R. 3625, A BILL TO ESTABLISH THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA AND THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA IN THE STATE OF UTAH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES APRIL 23, 1998, WASHINGTON, DC Serial No. 105±85 Printed for the use of the Committee on Resources ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 48±613 CC WASHINGTON : 1998 i VerDate 06-MAY-99 09:56 May 25, 1999 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 E:\HEARINGS\48613 txed02 PsN: txed02 COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES DON YOUNG, Alaska, Chairman W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN, Louisiana GEORGE MILLER, California JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts JIM SAXTON, New Jersey NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia ELTON GALLEGLY, California BRUCE F. VENTO, Minnesota JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon JOHN T. DOOLITTLE, California ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American WAYNE T. GILCHREST, Maryland Samoa KEN CALVERT, California NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii RICHARD W. POMBO, California SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas BARBARA CUBIN, Wyoming OWEN B. PICKETT, Virginia HELEN CHENOWETH, Idaho FRANK PALLONE, JR., New Jersey LINDA SMITH, Washington CALVIN M. DOOLEY, California GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California CARLOS A. ROMERO-BARCELOÂ , Puerto WALTER B. JONES, JR., North Carolina Rico WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY, Texas MAURICE D. HINCHEY, New York JOHN SHADEGG, Arizona ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam JOHN E. ENSIGN, Nevada SAM FARR, California ROBERT F. SMITH, Oregon PATRICK J. KENNEDY, Rhode Island CHRIS CANNON, Utah ADAM SMITH, Washington KEVIN BRADY, Texas WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts JOHN PETERSON, Pennsylvania CHRIS JOHN, Louisiana RICK HILL, Montana DONNA CHRISTIAN-GREEN, Virgin Islands BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado RON KIND, Wisconsin JIM GIBBONS, Nevada LLOYD DOGGETT, Texas MICHAEL D. CRAPO, Idaho LLOYD A. JONES, Chief of Staff ELIZABETH MEGGINSON, Chief Counsel CHRISTINE KENNEDY, Chief Clerk/Administrator JOHN LAWRENCE, Democratic Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah, Chairman ELTON GALLEGLY, California ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee Samoa JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts WAYNE T. GILCHREST, Maryland NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia RICHARD W. POMBO, California BRUCE F. VENTO, Minnesota HELEN CHENOWETH, Idaho DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan LINDA SMITH, Washington FRANK PALLONE, JR., New Jersey GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California CARLOS A. ROMERO-BARCELOÂ , Puerto WALTER B. JONES, JR., North Carolina Rico JOHN B. SHADEGG, Arizona MAURICE D. HINCHEY, New York JOHN E. ENSIGN, Nevada ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam ROBERT F. SMITH, Oregon PATRICK J. KENNEDY, Rhode Island RICK HILL, Montana WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts JIM GIBBONS, Nevada DONNA CHRISTIAN-GREEN, Virgin Islands RON KIND, Wisconsin LLOYD DOGGETT, Texas ALLEN FREEMYER, Counsel P. DANIEL SMITH, Professional Staff LIZ BIRNBAUM, Democratic Counsel (II) VerDate 06-MAY-99 09:56 May 25, 1999 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HEARINGS\48613 txed02 PsN: txed02 C O N T E N T S Page Hearing held April 23, 1998 ................................................................................... 1 Statements of Members: Cannon, Hon. Chris, a Representative in Congress from the State of Utah ............................................................................................................... 2 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 3 Cook, Hon. Merrill, a Representative in Congress from the State of Utah . 9 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 10 Gibbons, Hon. Jim, a Representative in Congress from the State of Ne- vada ................................................................................................................ 5 Hansen, Hon. James V., a Representative in Congress from the State of Utah ........................................................................................................... 1 Hinchey, Hon. Maurice D., a Representative in Congress from the State of New York ................................................................................................... 29 Statements of witnesses: Bennett, Hon. Robert F., a Senator in Congress from the State of Utah .... 5 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 7 Curtis, Wes, Director, Governor's Rural Partnership Office, State of Utah 58 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 82 Dmitrich, Hon. Mike, State Senator, State of Utah ...................................... 12 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 68 Johnson, Randy, Chairman, Emery County Commissioner .......................... 14 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 69 Leavitt, Hon. Michael O., Governor, State of Utah ....................................... 28 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 77 Martin, Wilson, Program Manager, Utah Department of Community and Economic Development ................................................................................. 43 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 91 Meadows, Bill, President, The Wilderness Society ........................................ 56 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 78 Owens, Hon. Wayne, President, Center for Middle East Peace, testifying on behalf of Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance ....................................... 45 Peay, Donald Keith, Utah Chapter of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep ..................................................................................................... 41 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 85 Petersen, Kent, Emery County Commissioner ............................................... 17 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 71 Additional material submitted for the record by .................................... 94 Shea, Pat, Director, Bureau of Land Management ....................................... 22 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 74 Warnick, Richard M., Salt Lake City, Utah, prepared statement of ........... 84 Wilson, Bevan K., Emery County Commissioner ........................................... 20 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 73 Letters submitted by ................................................................................. 97 Additional material supplied: Community & Wild Lands Futures, ``Disputing Parties Heading Onto Cooperative Public Lands Trail'' .................................................................. 104 (III) VerDate 06-MAY-99 09:56 May 25, 1999 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HEARINGS\48613 txed02 PsN: txed02 HEARING ON H.R. 3625, A BILL TO ESTABLISH THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL NATIONAL HERIT- AGE AREA AND THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA IN THE STATE OF UTAH, AND FOR OTHER PUR- POSES THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1998 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON NA- TIONAL PARK AND PUBLIC LANDS, COMMITTEE ON RE- SOURCES, Washington, DC. The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:04 a.m., in room 334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. James V. Hansen, (chairman of the Subcommittee) present. STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES V. HANSEN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF UTAH Mr. HANSEN. [presiding] The Committee will come to order. The Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands convenes to hear testimony on H.R. 3625, the San Rafael Swell National Herit- age and Conservation Act, introduced by my colleague, Mr. Can- non, who represents Emery County. I would like to welcome our many friends from Utah who have worked very hard on this legislation to bring this proposal and that truly balances the needs of the land, and the needs of the people, who support these public lands. This legislation has been worked on by many interests, State and local governments, historic and cultural interest, wildlife interests, and recreational interests. Al- though the administration's testimony claims that interests were not represented in this discussion, the truth is that all who were interested were invited to participate and did participate. Those who wish to sit back and throw stones and fail to roll up their sleeves and actually work on something in a positive manner, will not and cannot be taken seriously. This also applies to the adminis- tration. The purpose of a hearing such as this is to hear constructive comments on how to make this bill better, to suggest changes to benefit land or help our local managers, or whatever it takes to help perfect legislation. We appreciate Mr. Shea coming out to Emery County and the visit we had with him. I am not 100 percent sure that the testimony he gives today was written