Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SIMPSON. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Leader McCarthy and Chairman Bishop for bringing H.R. 1138 to the floor today, which we refer to as SNRA+. I also want to thank Ranking Member Grijalva of the full committee, Chairman McClintock of the subcommittee, and Ranking Member Tsongas of the subcommittee.

In 2005, we had the first congressional hearing on the Boulder-White Clouds on what then was a bill called CIEDRA. CIEDRA was a complicated 60-page bill that tried to do a lot of things for a lot of different people.

Today, we have a simplified 20-page bill we call SNRA+ that brings management certainty--and that is an important aspect--to the Boulder-White Clouds. It does this by making the determination about which parts of the current wilderness study area will in fact become wilderness and which parts will be released for multiple use.

There will be three new wilderness areas totaling 275,665 acres: Hemmingway-Boulders Wilderness, with 67,998 acres; White Clouds Wilderness, with 90,769 acres; and in honor of the late Senator Jim McClure, we have the James A. McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness, with 116,898 acres. The bill also releases wilderness study areas back to multiple use, totaling 153,883 acres.

So this not only makes the determination of what is going to be wilderness, it releases the other wilderness study areas for multiple use.

It is important to note in this bill that we do not close any motorized roads or trails in this bill. Ranchers with allotments on the SNRA would be allowed to voluntarily retire their grazing permits and be eligible for compensation from a third party. Any retired grazing permits would be permanently closed.

There is a provision that nothing in the bill affects the jurisdiction of the State of Idaho with respect to the management of fish and wildlife on public land in the State, including the regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping within the wilderness areas.

Individual parcels of land will be conveyed to Custer and Blaine Counties and rural communities for public purposes, including workforce housing, cemeteries, water towers, and waste transfer sites.

As part of this process, grants have been provided to the SNRA for trail maintenance and improvements, including maintenance and improvements of existing motorized trails and two existing trials to provide primitive wheelchair access and for acquiring the land to build a mechanized bike/snowmobile access trail between Redfish Lake and Stanley.

Mr. Speaker, this bill meets the needs of today's users and resolves longstanding debates over the management of the Boulder-White Clouds. It will end the discussion of monuments and wilderness in the Boulder-White Clouds, and secures the future for generations of Idahoans who want to continue using and enjoying our beautiful Boulder-White Clouds.

Finally, I am proud of the wide array of support we now have for this bill. We have the support of the Idaho Recreation Council, whose members include ATVers, motorcyclists, motorized and nonmotorized boaters, rafters, backcountry pilots, RVers, rock hounds, recreational miners, and snowmobilers in the Idaho State Snowmobile Association.

We also have the support of the Sawtooth Society, the Custer County Commissioners, East Fork Ranchers, the Idaho Farm Bureau, the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho Outfitters and Guides, the Idaho Conservation League, and the Idaho Wilderness Society.

This is a broad array of users and conservation groups, and it demonstrates how far we have come with this bill and how widely it is supported.

This is an Idaho bill--crafted by Idahoans over the past 15 years--to address some of the most contentious land management issues in one of the most beautiful places on Earth so that we can both use and enjoy it and preserve it for future generations. It is, by any definition, a ``compromise'' by all stakeholders, and I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have a list of people I want to thank who helped support this bill over the years and have worked very diligently on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the following people who have worked with me during most or part of the last 15 years. They each played a role in their own way.

From the Conservation Community I want to thank Rick Johnson, who has become a true friend and honest broker in this long journey. I also want to thank Tim Mahoney, Marcia Argust, Craig Gehrke, Brad Brooks, Mike Matz, John Gilroy, Linn Kincannon, Lynne Stone, Tom Pomeroy, Bart Koehler, Kai Anderson, Athan Manuel, Chris Wood, Erik Schultz, Dani Mazzotta, and Myke Bybee.

I want to thank the Custer County Commissioners Wayne Butts, Lin Hintze, Doyle Lamb and Cliff Hansen. They stood by us throughout and made sure their concerns were heard and taken care of.

I want to thank current and former Blaine County Commissioners including Sarah Michael and also Larry Schoen who signed a joint letter with Commissioner Butts of Custer County.

Additionally, I need to thank Stanley City Council President Steve Botti and Mayor Herb Mumford and former mayor Hannah Stauts.

I want to thank the East Fork Ranchers Wayne and Melody Baker, Gary and Jackie Ingram, Doug, Cheryl and Sarah Baker and Junior and Lura Baker. They stood by me through thick and thin. They were the reason we started this process, and we are going to make sure their livelihoods on the East Fork continue for future generations.

At the Sawtooth Society, I need to thank former executive director Bob Hayes, current executive director Gary O'Malley, Hans Carstensen and the current President Paul Hill.

From the Idaho Recreation Council who represent motorized users I want to thank Brett Madron, Steve Frisbie and Gary Cvecich. I want to also thank their leader Sandra Mitchell. She is an incredible woman who represents her members very, very well.

I want to thank Grant Simonds and Louise and Mike Stark who represent the outfitters and guides.

At the Forest Service, I need to thank Ed Cannady for answering the hundreds of questions we asked over the years on uses and map boundaries. He knows the area better than anyone and he cares even more about them. He also took me, my staff and even the Forest Service Chief into the White Clouds on various trips so I could get a better understanding of the area. Ed has become a very good friend throughout this process.

Additionally, at the Forest Service I want to thank Kit Mullen, Ruth Monahan, David Stockdale, Brenda Geesey, Bonnie Luckman, Barbara Garcia, Julie Thomas, Jennifer Blake, and Beckie Wagoner.

At the BLM, Laurie Sedlmayr and Lara Douglas were a great help throughout this process.

I want to thank Erica Rhoad who started working on this bill with Chairman Pombo and is finishing it with Chairman Bishop. She is very good at her job.

I want to thank Gregory Kostka at Legislative Counsel. He drafted and redrafted countless versions of this bill over the years. He is a true professional.

I want to thank Laurel Sayer who was on my staff and is now working in the conservation community. She attended many meetings and did terrific ground work for me throughout the process.

I want to thank Senator Risch who when I spoke to him last year about one last try before a monument proclamation he said ``I think we can do this, Mike.'' The Senator and his staff John Sandy and Darren Parker have done a great job helping us get to the finish line.

Finally, I want to thank my staff, Lindsay Slater, Malisah Small, Nathan Greene, Sarah Cannon, James Neill, Emilee Henshaw, Solara Linehan, Billy Valderrama, John Revier and Nikki Wallace. They have each helped in many different ways.

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