Interior and Insular Affairs that interest in making the Buffalo a national river is state-wide. Our concensus supports the preservation of the Buffalo River as a free flowing stream. Too few such streams remain. Preservation of the environment is one of the most vital concerns of the American people today. We feel protection of the Buffalo River can be most effectively provided by the National Park Service. Sincerely yours, JEANNE BURTON, President. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF BAXTER COUNTY, Hon. WAYNE N. ASPINALL, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. ASPINALL: Baxter County League of Women Voters joins our State of Arkansas League in asking support for the above bill. Establishment of Buffalo National River has been a long time desire of the residents of our state and now with the added fear of pollution and destruction of the beauty of national waterways we believe this preservation is very urgent and can no longer be delayed. Further delay may result in complete loss of this river as a thing of beauty. Sincerely, Mrs. PAT THOMPSON, President. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, Hon. Roy A. TAYLOR, Sincerely yours, MARCIA M. WOOD, President. ANITA F. BUKEY, Legislative Chairman. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, Hon. ROY A. TAYLOR, Chairman, Subcommittee on Parks and Recreation, House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Washington, D.C. MY DEAR MR. TAYLOR: As you know the League of Women Voters of the United States are very interested in H.R. 8382, a bill to establish the Buffalo River in Arkansas as a National River. The members of the Columbia County League of Women Voters hope that you will do what you can in getting H.R. 8382 passed. Those of us living in Arkansas are especially interested in the Buffalo River remaining as a freeflowing river. We appreciate your influence on other committee members and hope that your committee will be favorable toward this Bill. Sincerely yours, FLORENE JORDAN BRADLEY, Chairman, Environmental Quality Committee. Hon. Roy A. TAYLOR, ARKANSAS WILDLIFE FEDERATION, Chairman, Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation, Committee on In- In addition our members feel that to have successfully freed the Buffalo River from the threat of being converted into another reservoir would be small gain if we now allow the beauty that was saved to be spoiled by indiscriminate development of the area by individuals or large commercial groups. In view of the foregoing, the Beaver Lake Wildlife Club not only urges that the Buffalo River be made a National River, but that as much of the area under consideration as possible be designated a Wilderness Area. We will support future legislation that will achieve these goals while affording maximum protection and compensation to the affected landowners. It is requested that this letter be made a part of the record during the hearing on H.R. 8382. Sincerely, TITO J. MORSANI, President. CONSERVATION EDUCATION COUNCIL, Hon. Roy TAYLOR, Chairman, Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. TAYLOR: On November 28 and 29, I attended the hearing on the proposed Buffalo National River. May I say that you are to be commended for the fairness and dispatch with which you conducted the hearing. It was my privilege to fish and hunt on the Buffalo beginning in June of 1911 at the age of 13. The Buffalo was a beautiful river then, and is still a beautiful river sixty years later. My experience in teaching vocational agriculture ten years, being a County Agent for two years, and as an employee of the Soil Conservation Service for thirty years, has taught me that man must have more of nature and less concrete to keep his peace and sanity. The Buffalo River will serve many people and will allow them to experience the tranquility of nature. Before my retirement, and since, it has been my privilege to work through committees in the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, the Ozark Society, the Farm and Ranch Club and the State Advisory Council on Environmental Education to encourage the State Department of Education to implement a plan for teaching environmental education in the public schools of Arkansas. Progress has been rapid since 1968. The Buffalo River, as a national river, will offer a place for a training area, if facilities are available for housing groups of teachers, students, ecologists, and others near the river area. I visualize this facility in the Buffalo River State Park Area. As a member of the Steering Committee of the Advisory Environmental Educational Committee. I wish to go on record as supporting the Bill by Representative John Paul Hammerschmidt known as HR 8382. I also request that this letter become a part of the Buffalo River hearing record. Respectfully, ELSTON LEONARD. BAYOU CHAPTER, OZARK SOCIETY, Hon. Roy A. TAYLOR, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: The Bayou Chapter of the Ozark Society is very much in favor of the Buffalo River being made as a national river. Our chapter is located in Shreveport, Louisiana and you might be interested to know that many people from our state enjoy the scenic beauty provided by the Buffalo River and feel it should be preserved for all time. I understand that the bill for the creation of the Buffalo National River is listed as House Bill 8382. The Bayou Chapter of the Ozark Society endorses this bill. I would appreciate this letter being made a part of the record. Very truly yours, B. B. GIBBS, Chairman. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COUNCIL OF MEMPHIS, Hon. ROY A. TAYLOR, DEAR REPRESENTATIVE TAYLOR: The Environmental Action Council of Memphis has gone on record in full support of HR Bill 8382, calling for the creation of a Buffalo National River in Arkansas. The Buffalo River, in its present unspoiled, unaltered state, is among the most beautiful streams in America. To turn any segment of it into a reservoir would amount to an ecological crime for which our progeny would never forgive us. This river deserves the full protection of the law in the form of national park status. Save the Buffalo and you will have the everlasting thanks of all of us who love and revere our natural heritage. There are only a few such streams. They refresh the human spirit and restore the soul. They should not be sacrificed to the god of progress and technology. Please let this statement become a part of the record of the impending hearings. Cordially yours, S. H. HALL, Chairman, Trails and Greenbelts Committee. PULASKI COUNTY AUDUBON SOCIETY, Little Rock, Ark., October 25, 1971. Hon. ROY A. TAYLOR, Chairman, Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. TAYLOR: The Pulaski County Audubon Society strongly supports the Buffalo National River bill and urges that it be released by the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs for an early vote. Many of us have watched with dismay the clearing and construction which has occurred along the lower stretches of the Buffalo since a similar bill died in the House two years ago. If the river is not given the protection offered by this bill, and soon, it will not be worth preserving. It is easier and cheaper to provide the nation with this park now rather than wait and attempt to reclaim the river later. We feel this river is a great natural asset and should be preserved not only for the present generation but more importantly for our children. While all our members are not captivated by the National Park Service taking over the river as provided by the bill, most of us realize that practicalities being what they are, this is the only practical economic and political solution to preserving the stream. Our organization consists of some 185 professional and business men and women living in Little Rock. Please enter our letter in the record of the hearing. Sincerely yours, J. LYNDAL YORK, Ph. D., President. ARKANSAS FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS, Hon. ROY A. TAYLOR, Washington, D.C. DEAR HONORABLE TAYLOR: We the members of the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs, one of the largest women's organizations in the state, do strongly support the proposed legislation for the Buffalo River. Being aware that the Buffalo River is clean, and its flowing waters support a notable sports fishery and provide opportunities for pleasurable boating and swimming. That it is unspoiled by development and free of pollution. That creating this as a National River affects our whole state and its citizens, we request that this be made a permanent part of the record on the hearing on H.R. 8382. Conservation is one of the Departments of work for our federated club members, nationally, state-wide, county and local. Environmental Responsibility Division is one of our most important divisions of work. "A Better Environment" is a movement that deserves the support and has the support of every Arkansas clubwoman to preserve our air, water, and soil resources, our forest, animals and birds, for ourselves and the generations that follow us. Again, we ask for the creation of the Buffalo River as a National River. Sincerely yours, Mrs. GORDON OATES, President. Hon. Roy A. TAYLOR, MICHIGAN UNITED CONSERVATION CLUBS, Chairman, Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN TAYLOR: The Michigan United Conservation Clubs is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to the wise use of Michigan's natural resources and the protection and enhancement of the environment. The MUCC has 360 affiliated conservation and sportsmen's clubs around the State and has a total membership exceeding 130,000. While basically responsible to the natural resources management within the State of Michigan, MUCC is concerned with conservation on a national level through affiliation with the National Wildlife Federation and also by reason of the fact that thousands of Michigan citizens use and enjoy the natural resources of other States. We therefore wish to express our support for the proposed Buffalo National River in Arkansas, to preserve the outstanding scenic, historic and recreational features of this area from development, subdivision and land speculation. We understand that the Senate has already passed S. 7 sponsored by Senators J. W. Fulbright and John L. McClellan to establish a Buffalo National River and that your committee has held hearings on similar House bills, HR 8382 and HR 9119. We further respectfully solicit your recommendation for the proposed amendments to the pending bills as advocated by Arkansas conservationists, which would provide for study of the areas within the National River boundaries for wilderness designation, and provide also for a citizens' advisory commission to advise the National Park Service during the period of development. Please accept our thanks for the opportunity to present a statement to this effect. We shall appreciate its incorporation in the record of the hearing which was held October 28 and 29, 1971. Sincerely, PAUL J. LEACH, Executive Director. OUACHITA-CADDO AUDUBON SOCIETY, Hon. Roy A. TAYLOR, Longworth Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR REPRESENTATIVE TAYLOR: The Ouachita-Caddo Audubon Society meeting in regular session on October 24, 1971 in Arkadelphia, Ark. voted unanimously to support the Buffalo National River Bill, H.R. 8382. This Society believes the Buffalo River to be unique in its beauty, wildness and geology. It is also the only remaining major free-flowing stream in the Arkansas Ozarks. Please do all you can to save this river for America. I request that this letter be made a permanent part of the record on the hearing on H.R. 8382. Sincerely, Dr. WAYNE G. DELAVAN, President. Hon. ROY A. TAYLOR, CABOOL SPORTSMANS CLUB, Chairman, Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR HON. TAYLOR: As we are close to and are a part of the area which is considered for the Buffalo National River Project we are vitally interested in the outcome of the hearing which will be held on Oct. 28 & 29 and following hearings which will be held in the State of Arkansas. We would like to go on record as favoring the two amendments to the legislation as presented by the Arkansas Conservation which are: (1) Provision for study of areas within the National River boundaries for wilderness designation. (2) Provision for a citizens' advisory commission. Please consider this a letter to be made a part of the Buffalo River hearing record. Very truly yours, Hon. WILBUR MILLS, U.S. Representative, State of Arkansas, W. H. PETEFISH, Secretary. RECTOR-PHILLIPS-MORSE, INC., DEAR CONGRESSMAN MILLS: My wife and I respectfully urge you to support H.R. #8382 to preserve Arkansas' beautiful Buffalo River by making it a National River in the forthcoming hearings by the House committees. Please make this letter a part of the record of that hearing. We know your influence can be invaluable in this worthy effort, and we sincerely ask that you lend your effective support to the countless efforts by so many citizens that have helped bring this vital legislation to its current status. With your important voice favoring protection of the Buffalo River, we feel confident that the results will bring many favorable benefits and enjoyment to the citizens of your District and all Arkansas. Thank you very much for your consideration. Sincerely yours, JOHN P. MCKAY, Jr. DEAR SIR: I own property that will be taken by the park, but I feel this is one way I can see this beautiful river preserved. Sincerely, O. C. RANEY, M. D. |