LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Lake County, Minn., will not be represented at the hearing July 23 on S. 4028. We reiterate our stand taken in our resolution dated December 6, 1957, which we presented for consideration at a hearing with Senator Humphrey on S. 1176, 85th Congress, 1st session, December 10, 1957, in the office of the Minnesota commissioner of conservation in St. Paul. We concur in the resolution adopted by Cook County, Minn., commissioners, July 14, 1958, opposing S. 4028. Copy of above resolutions being mailed to you by airmail. R. J. HOULE, Chairman. RESOLUTION No. 58-22 OF COOK COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS A resolution opposing Senate bill No. 4028 (a/k/a "The Wilderness Preservation Act"), now pending passage by Congress, on grounds that the said proposed act does not provide for legislative concurrence by the several States in which affected lands are or may be situated, and by failure to include such provisions the said proposed act intends to circumvent constitutional procedure and abrogate the rights of the States Whereas the several States of this Nation, in association one another and together, have formed a Union for the establishment of a Federal Government; and Whereas such Federal Government is empowered to enact laws only by virtue of the Constitution of the United States so providing; and Whereas such Constitution, subscribed to by the States of this Union, must be at all times held inviolate; and Whereas each, every, and all States of this Union have retained unto themselves under this Constitution certain inalienable rights of self-government together thereof of certain prerogatives of action at local level so as to assure and insure the preservation of the dignity, the best interests and the well-being of the citizens and economies of such respective States; and Whereas it is now proposed before the Congress of these United States that there shall be passed and become law certain proposals presently titled "Senate bill No. 4028" and a/k/a "The Wilderness Preservation System," said proposed act to become binding upon all of the several States and the citizens of said States; and Whereas the said Senate bill No. 4028 proposes to ignore and to circumvent the procedures of enactment of laws as required by the Constitution of the United States, proposing instead to substitute in the place of such constitutional procedures the processes of directives and edicts to become binding upon the States and their citizens except and unless as specifically opposed by congressional action, such proposed procedure being fully contrary to and destructive of the tenets and intent of the Constitution; and Whereas the said Senate bill No. 4028 proposes the continuing purchase by the Federal Government, through its several departments and agencies, of lands lying within the several States, and further proposes the continuing designation by the Federal Government, through its several departments and agencies, of the uses of such lands to the extent and extremity that such lands may be designated as "primitive" and/or "roadless" areas, thus empowering such Federal departments and agencies to prohibit any and all private enterprise therein; and Whereas such unrestricted expansions of government acquirement, ownership, and limitation of uses to the exclusion of private ownership and private enterprise is the acknowledged and avowed intent and purpose of said Senate bill No. 4028; and Whereas a continuing and unopposed program as proposed to be effected by Federal departments and agencies, through arbitrary directives and edicts, may and does threaten the balance of economies, of land uses and privileges within the several States, and further proposes the circumvention and destruction of the basic rights of the citizens and, contingently, of the several States in which such lands are situated; and further Whereas this avowed and continuing program of increasing Federal land ownership and restricted land uses poses an equally increasing and relative problem for the legislative, administrative, and judicial bodies of the respective States, to the end that States' governments become faced with increased burdens and problems of decreased land tax incomes and, consequently, such respective States' governments may be and are forced to adjust appropriations, apportionments, and States' aids to and for the counties and townships affected within such States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by this Board of Commissioners of the County of Cook, State of Minnesota, for and on behalf of the citizens of this county and of the great State of Minnesota, That Senate bill No. 4028, together with all comparable or other subsequent like proposals that may be presented before the Congress, shall be duly amended and such amendment to be passed into law to provide that, to wit: "Any modification of, addition to, or elimination from the wilderness areas, as such exist on June 1, 1958, shall not become so affected or effective unless and until such proposed modifications, additions, or eliminations shall first have been given prior approval as expressed by not less than a two-thirds majority vote of both Houses of the legislature of the State, or States, in which such affected lands are situated"; and it is further Resolved, That copies of the Resolution No. 58-22 be spread upon the minutes of this meeting of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County, State of Minnesota, and that copies hereof be respectfully submitted for action to Members of Congress from Minnesota, to members of the State legislature from this district, to Gov. Orville L. Freeman and Conservation Commissioner George A. Selke at St. Paul, and to the Boards of Commissioners of the counties of Lake and St. Louis, and to the newspapers of St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, Two Harbors, Ely, and Grand Marais. Adopted this 14th day of July A. D. 1958. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, Cook County, Mina. RESOLUTION OF LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Whereas a press notice indicated that Senator Hubert Humphrey has scheduled a hearing on his Wilderness Preservation System Act (S. 1176) for December 10, 1957, in the office of the Minnesota Commissioner of Conservation, in St. Paul; and Whereas said proposed bill as previously presented is of serious consequence to Lake County; and Whereas it appears that said hearing is being held to ascertain local views in correcting the unfair, unnecessary, and locally prohibitive restrictions now included in said bill: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That this Board of County Commissioners of Lake County, Minn., offers the following recommendations for changes in said wilderness preservation system bill to insure the protection of the real wilderness interest and at the same time protect the interests and welfare of the affected States, counties, and local people. 1. Provide for more equal representation on the proposed council to avoid dictatorial practice by any one interest. 2. Provide for State and county consultation and sanction of policies and boundary designations. 3. Delete the likely illegal and unconstitutional provision whereby failure of either House of Congress to act on council policies within a specified time constitutes the same as approval thereof (sec. 2–f). 4. Delete the prohibitions and restrictions except where necessary to protect the physical values within a quarter of a mile of the waterways in the Superior National Forest roadless area. Determine.this by local on the ground study. 5. Permit prospecting for minerals under the very rigid rules and regulations now so effective in protecting the natural physical properties of areas prospected. Prohibit any action by the proposed Wilderness Preservation Council which will tend to discourage legitimate prospecting and approval thereof by the area authority. 6. Provide for reasonable and fair access to the Superior National Forest wilderness area by local on the ground study. 7. As the necessary sacrifice of local and State economy to provide for wilderness areas is for the benefit of all the people nationwide, the State and local counties should not have to continue taking the extensive loss of tax base wtihout a fairer in lieu of tax loss return. The recommendation is therefore to provide for fairer and more equitable in lieu of tax loss to the States and counties where wilderness areas are located. In the Superior wilderness area consideration for loss of multimillion dollar power development as tax base, because of necessary prohibition of such development, loss of adequate water frontage taxes, and other proper tax base values should be considered; be it further Resolved, That copies of this resolution be presented for consideration at said hearing on December 10, 1957. Commissioner Houle moved the adoption of the foregoing resolution and the same was declared adopted upon the following vote: Yeas, Houle, Degerstedt, Wiklund, Sandstrom, and Dahlberg; total yeas, 5; nays, none. ROCKY MOUNTAIN OIL & GAS ASSOCIATION, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: Due to inadequate notice, we are not able to appear for hearing this Wednesday on S. 4028. Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Association opposes this bill because it largely duplicates efforts and mission of National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission recently created under Public Law 470. The establishment of a national wilderness system should at least await the initial report of that Commission. Further, we believe the avoidance of multipleuse theory of public-land management in the bill is not wise. This is a serious matter, and we believe sufficient additional hearings should be established to permit all concerned to appear and make their views known. ROBERT B. LAUGHLIN, KLAMATH BASIN WATER USERS PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION, Senator JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, Washington, D. C.: This association strongly opposes S. 4028 or any other proposed wilderness legislation until a complete study and report is made by the Recreation Resources Review Commission. E. M. MITCHELL, President. WYOMING NATURAL RESOURCE BOARD, Senator JAMES MURRAY, Washington, D. C.: The State of Wyoming Natural Resource Board has just been informed that hearings will be held beginning tomorrow on S. 4028, wilderness bill. The State of Wyoming is most anxious to be heard on this bill, but since the President has signed the National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission Act, we believe the wilderness bills should be held in abeyance until this committee has at least had an opportunity to present their preliminary report. However, in the event you determine to proceed, we hope that the hearing may be extended that the State of Wyoming may have an opportunity to be heard in opposition to such proposals. It is of the most vital importance to us. Would appreciate your tentatively scheduling our testimony and advise time and date by return wire. BOB STEILING, Secretary. MOUNTAIN STATES ASSOCIATION, Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Senator from Montana, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Respectfully request hearings on S. 4028, wilderness bill be postponed until report of National Outdoor Recreation and Resources Use Commission report is available. F. W. REICH, Secretary. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, SCOTT PAPER CO., Everett, Wash., July 21, 1958. Chairman, Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. Re S. 4028, revised wilderness bill, we strongly recommend that no final committee action be taken on wilderness legislation until after Western State hearings have been held and until the report has been completed by the National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission. We recognize and appreciate the propriety of establishing certain wilderness areas, but urge that this be done without unduly restricting the use and development of those areas which will be needed in future years for public recreation, for industrial productivity, and for yield of revenue to local, State, and national governments. Therefore, we are concerned about the proposed boundaries of certain wilderness areas, as they would appear to reduce and limit unnecessarily the potential economic development of the Northwest. L. V. FORMAN, General Manager, West Coast Division. ARIZONA INTERSTATE STREAM COMMISSION, Re hearings on national wilderness preservation system bill, S. 4028. Chairman, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: I have been requested by the Arizona Interstate Stream Commission to express on behalf of the commission, opposition to enactment of S. 4028 or similar legislation at this time. The commission believes that inasmuch as Congress has recently enacted S. 846, a bill providing for the study and report on the outdoor recreational resources of the public and other lands and water resources of the United States, the report provided for under the provisions of S. 846 should be made available before other legislation such as S. 4028, a bill to establish a permanent national wilderness preservation system, be considered by the Congress. At the present time, the members of the Arizona Interstate Stream Commission are engaged in court proceedings in California, in connection with the Callfornia-Arizona case, and are therefore unable to appear personally to testify at the hearings that may soon be scheduled on S. 4028 or similar legislation. We will appreciate being advised when further hearings are scheduled on the type of legislation referred to herein. Thanking you, I am Very truly yours, E. W. RISING. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE GARDEN CLUBS, INC., Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: It has come to my attention that hearings on the revised wilderness bill (S. 1176) by Senator Humphrey and others, are scheduled before your committee on July 23, 1958. With the understanding that current hearings are limited to receiving testimony on changes which have been made in the bill since its original hearing a year or so ago, the National Council of State Garden Clubs would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its support of a wilderness-preservation measure. It is hoped that differences can be reconciled and that a bill will be favorably reported by your committee for prompt consideration by the Senate. The National Council of State Garden Clubs is a nonprofit organization of more than 350,000 members distributed among 45 State affiliates and the District of Columbia. At its annual convention in Miami, Fla., April 1957, the council went on record as endorsing a wilderness-preservation system as contemplated by pending legislation. Thank you greatly for your interest and support. ANNA N. SHOEMAKER, Member, Legislative Committee. Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE GARDEN CLUBS, INC., Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senate Office Building. DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: On May 22, 1958, the National Council of State Garden Clubs at its annual convention assembled, adopted the enclosed resolution supporting the new wilderness bill. This national council thus reaffirms its support of a wilderness preservation measure. The national council hopes that a bill will be favorably reported by your committee for prompt consideration by the Senate. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc., is a nonprofit organization of more than 350,000 members in 45 affiliated States and the District of Columbia. We will very much appreciate your interest and support, hoping that you feel with us that the preservation of our wilderness areas is of great importance to ourselves and the future of our country. Sincerely yours, IRMA J. SWEARINGEN, RESOLUTION OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE GARDEN CLUBS Whereas the National Council of State Garden Clubs is deeply concerned about the preservation and future protection of wilderness in the United States, for wilderness has unique values which are esthetic and spiritual as well as scientific and educational; and Whereas the remaining wilderness areas in America are constantly threatened by the pressures of industrialization and expanding human population; Now, therefore, in order to establish wilderness preservation as a national policy, to provide greater security for the designated wilderness, wild, and primitive areas within the national forests, now maintained only by executive policy, and to encourage the preservation of the wilderness character of national parks, national wildlife refuges, and other public lands of the United States; be it Resolved, by the National Council of State Garden Clubs, meeting in Seattle, Wash., May 22, 1958, That we urge immediate, favorable consideration by the Senate and House Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the revised form of the wilderness bill, S. 1176, found in the Senate Committee Print No. 2. We likewise urge the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States to take prompt and favorable final action on this legislation, in order to make clear the intention of the Congress to insure for present and future generations a continuing heritage of wilderness; be it further Resolved, That copies of this resolution shall be sent to Senator James E. Murray, chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, and to Representative Clair Engle, chairman of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, and that this resolution will appear in the next issue of the National Gardener. |