93d Congress, 2d Session House Document No. 93-403 PROPOSED ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM COMMUNICATION FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TRANSMITTING PROPOSALS FOR THIRTY-SEVEN ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM AND DEFERRAL OF ACTION ON FIVE AREAS SUITABLE FOR INCLUSION IN THE SYSTEM, AND RECOMMENDATIONS AGAINST THE INCLUSION OF FOUR OTHER AREAS STUDIED, PURSUANT TO SECTION 3 OF THE WILDER- NESS ACT OF 1964 [16 USC 1132] PART 25 MEDICINE LAKE WILDERNESS MONTANA DECEMBER 4, 1974.— Referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and ordered to be printed with illustrations. U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1974 THE WHITE HOUSE WAS HINGTO N December 4, 1974 Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to the Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964, I am pleased to transmit herewith proposals for thirty-seven additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System. As described in the Wilderness Message that I am con- currently sending to the Congress today, the proposed new wilderness areas cover a total of over nine million primeval acres. In addition, the Secretary of the Interior has recommended that Congressional action on five other areas which include surface lands suitable for wilderness be deferred for the reasons set forth below: A. Three areas which are open to mining might be needed in the future to provide vital minerals for the Nation, but these areas have not been adequately surveyed for mineral deposits. The areas are the Kofa Game Range, Arizona; Charles Sheldon Antelope Range, Nevada and Oregon; and, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Range, Montana. B. One area is subject to withdrawals for power purposes and additional study is needed of the West's potential energy needs before a wilderness decision can be made. This is Lake Mead National Recreation Area, located in Arizona and Nevada. C. Certain parts of one area are subject to selection by the village of Mekoryuk under the terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and a wilderness recommenda- tion should be made only after the completion of the Native selection process. The area in question is the Nunivak National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Four other possibilities considered by the Secretary of the Interior in his review of roadless areas of 5,000 acres or more were found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the Wilderness System: Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon and Idaho; Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland; Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky; and, Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. I concur in this finding and in the other recommendations of the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture, all of which are transmitted herewith. Wilderness designation of both of these new wilderness areas and those already submitted that are pending be- fore the Congress would dramatically demonstrate our commitment to preserve America's irreplaceable heritage, and I urge the Congress to act promptly in this regard. Sincerely, The Honorable Carl Albert Speaker of the House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, B.C. 20240 JUN 2 0 1974 Dear Mr. President: It is with pleasure that I recommend the establishment of areas totaling approximately 11,366 acres in Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The recommendation stems from this Department's responsibility under the Wilderness Act (78 Stat. 390) to recommend to the President areas within its jurisdiction suitable for designation as wilderness. Having reviewed potential areas in Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, we conclude that 11,366 of the refuge's 31,^57 acres should be designated wilderness. Primarily a waterfowl production area, the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order in 1936. It is located in northeastern Montana, along the Central Flyway. About ^0 percent of the refuge consists of lakes and ponds; about 57 percent is pasture and meadowland; and the remaining 3 percent is farmland. Waterfowl are most abundant on the refuge during the spring and fall migration periods: the peak fall population frequently exceeds a quarter of a million birds. Varied management programs, all designed to encourage waterfowl production or create food and nesting habitat, are conducted on the refuge: these include intensive water management activities on nearly all refuge water areas. With the recant discontinuance of motorboat activity in Medicine Lake, however, we consider this area and the Sandhills Unit of the refuge suitable for wilderness designation. A mineral survey of the refuge has not been made. In accordance with the requirements of the Wilderness Act, a public hearing on the recommendation was held at Medicine Lake, Montana, on March 16, 197^- Analyses of the hearing records and written expressions received, together with the letters received from other Federal agencies, are contained in the enclosed synopsis. Complete records have been compiled and are available for inspection by the public. Enclosed is a draft bill which, if enacted, would incorporate the recommended area of Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge into the National Wilderness Preservation System. Sincerely yours, Assistggt Secretary of the Interior The President The White House Washington, D. C. 20500 Enclosure A B. I. L_ L_ To designate certain lands in the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Sheridan and Roosevelt Counties, Montana, 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, 196*1 (78 Stat. 890, 892; 16 U.S.C. 1132(-c)), certain lands in the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Montana, which comprise about 11,366 acres and which are depicted on a map entitled "Medicine Lake Wilderness Proposal", dated November 1973, are hereby designated as wilderness. 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 the 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 map and description may be made. SEC. 3. The area designated by this Act as wilderness shall be known as the "Medicine 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, and where appropriate any reference in that Act to the Secretary of Agriculture shall be deemed to be a reference to the Secretary of the Interior. SEC. 4. Subject to all valid rights existing on the date of enactment of this Act, lands designated as wilderness by this I Act are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral leasing and all amendments thereto. PUBLIC HEARING ANALYSIS MEDICINE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE On March 16, 197^ pursuant to the requirements of the Wilderness Act, a public hearing was held in Medicine Lake, Montana to ascertain public views on the desirability to include the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the National Wilderness Preservation System. This hearing record remained open until April 16, 197^ in order to allow sufficient time for interested agencies and' individuals to submit written statements for inclusion in the official record. The public hearing was officially opened at 10 a.m. on March 16, 197** at the Medicine Lake High School, Medicine Lake, Montana. The hearing officer was Lotario D. Ortega, Field Solicitor, Albuquerque, Hew Mexico. Prepared statements were read by Mr. Ortega and Mr. Burton Rounds of the Billings Area Office. A slide presentation was given by Mr. Donald White, Refuge Manager of Medicine Lake NWR. The proposal made by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife was as follows: "Approximately 11,366 acres of the Medicine Lake NWR are recommended for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System. The remaining areas of the refuge were found not suitable." A total of 62 individuals attended the hearing. Five individuals presented statements. Mr. Donald Aldrich represented the National Wilderness Society and the Montana Wildlife Federation. Mr. Aldrich spoke in favor of the Bureau's proposal. Mr. Henry Crohn, Dagmar, Montana, represented Friends of the Farth and the Montana Wilderness Society. He also favored the proposal. Mr. Mike Aderhold represented the Montana Fish and Game and read a position statement that endorsed the Bureau's proposal for wilder- ness. Mr. Ed Smith, Dagmar, Montana, represented the Medicine Lake Wild- life Refuge Policy Action Committee and himself as a rancher. Mr. Smith did not take a positive position approving or disapproving the proposal but asked several questions as to what affects wilderness would impose on the management and the users of the refuge. Donald R. Marble represented the Montana Wilderness Association and supported the Bureau's proposal for wilderness designation of 11,366 acres. A question and answer session followed the presentation of formal state- ments. I terns such as future management of grazing, public use, and other economic uses as they relate to the wilderness units were discussed. No one opposed the designation( of wilderness as each of the items were discussed. The entire proceedings lasted 95 minutes, whereupon the hearing officer announced that the record would remain open for 30 days and officially concluded the hearing at 11:35 a.m. 42-797 O - 75 - pt.25 - 2 ANALYSIS OF WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE MEDICINE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Communications From Elected Officials Comments were received from the Governor of Montana and Montana Representative Harrison G.