[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 93 (Thursday, June 8, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8049-S8052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         PARTNERS OUTDOORS FAIR

 Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to call to the 
attention of my colleagues a most unusual and informative event which 
took place in the Senate Energy Committee hearing room on May 8 and 9. 
The first Partners Outdoors Fair was hosted by the committee and 
organized by six Federal agencies and the Recreation Roundtable, a 
group comprised of the chief executives of more than 20 of the leading 
recreation-oriented companies in America. The fair was a great success, 
celebrating the imaginative and effective work taking place across the 
nation through partnerships involving Federal, State and local 
agencies, private corporations and others.
  The idea for the Partners Outdoors Fair was conceived in early 1995 
at the Partners Outdoors conference in Florida, an annual meeting of 
public and private organization leaders committed to the protection of 
America's wonderful outdoors resources and the enhancement of the 
recreational experiences of visitors to federally-managed areas. 
Candidates for programs to be showcased at the fair were submitted by 
all six Federal agencies taking part in the conference: the Forest 
Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau 
of Reclamation. From the dozens of submissions, 20 displays were 
selected to represent diversity in focus, partners and size.
  As chairman for the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
I was very enthusiastic upon learning of the plans for the fair and was 
pleased to offer the use of our hearing room for this important 2-day 
event. As you might guess, Mr. President, I was particularly 
enthusiastic about those displays that showcased successful programs in 
my State of Alaska. One of these, an eye-catching display describing 
fishing restoration efforts and the Wallop-Breaux Fund, prominently 
featured the creation of a new sportfishing opportunity at Homer Spit 
in Alaska. Thanks to the determined efforts of the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service and several State agencies--as well as to the millions 
of Americans whose purchases of fishing equipment and motorboat fuels 
make the Wallop-Breaux fund viable--Homer Spit has seen a steady return 
of large chinook salmon and has been made more accessible to children, 
the elderly and those with physical disabilities.
  Another display featured a successful partnership including ARCO, the 
Anchorage School District, the National Audabon Society, Alaska Pacific 
University, and the BLM. The diverse collection of entities polled its 
resources to design the Campbell Creek Environmental Education Center, 
a 10,000-square foot facility that will be built by the BLM on Campbell 
Tract in Anchorage. Targeted for completion in 1996, the Campbell Creek 
facility will provide children and others with the opportunity to 
experience the outdoors, learn about wildlife and understand the role 
people play in the local and global environments. The center will also 
promote behaviors, practices and lifestyles that have minimal impact on 
the environment. Still another display described the interpretive 
programs used aboard cruise ships that ferry visitors to Alaska's 
majestic Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. These programs greatly 
enhance the cruise experience and are the result of a collaborative 
effort between companies such as Holland America and the National Park 
Service.
  The fair features many other outstanding displays about partnerships 
in operation around the country, and those who stopped by saw that the 
number of partners involved was breathtakingly large and diverse. For 
example, a program entitled ``WOW--Wonderful Outdoor World,'' which 
aims at introducing city kids to the pleasures of camping and other 
outdoor recreational activities, was established with contributions 
from the Walt Disney Co., the city of Los Angeles, the Bureau of Land 
Management, the Coleman Co., Chevy/Geo, California State University at 
Long Beach, and the U.S. Forest Service, among others. Another good 
example was Tread Lightly, a program to help protect public and private 
lands through the responsible use of off-highway vehicles. Tread 
Lightly involves the Forest Service, Four Wheeler Magazine, the Izaak 
Walton League, Goodyear, Jeep, Honda, Toyota, Ranger Rover, the Perlman 
Group, and Warn Industries. There were many others worthy of mention. 
Mr. President, I would ask that a complete list and description of the 
featured displays appear in the Record immediately following my 
remarks.
  Mr. President, there have long been, and continue to be, debates in 
this country over whether the private or public sector can accomplish 
certain tasks more effectively. And today, perhaps more than at any 
other time since the drafting of the Constitution, there is much 
discussion about whether State and local governments are better 
equipped for certain tasks than the Federal Government. I do not expect 
that a relatively small, 2-day event in the Senate Energy Committee 
hearing room will by itself lay these contentions debates to rest. 
However, I do believe the Partners Outdoors Fair made great strides in 
calling our attention to the fact that it does not always have to be 
one or the other. The public sector can work with the private sector, 
and the Federal Government can work with State and local governments. 
In fact, when the particular resources and expertise of each come 
together in a collaborative effort, the results are precisely what we 
saw on display on May 8 and 9. In addition, the projects displayed at 
the fair made clear that
 progress can be made even without large increases in Federal budgets 
and even without specific legislative direction.

  Mr. President, I would also like to mention an important event that 
took place on the afternoon of May 9, as the Partners Outdoors Fair was 
winding to a close. At that time, I joined with Francis Pandolfi, the 
president and CEO of Times Mirror Magazines and chairman of the 
Recreation Roundtable, in a news conference at which the Recreation 
Roundtable released the results of its latest national survey of public 
attitudes regarding outdoor recreation. Joining us was Edward Keller, 
executive vice president of Roper Starch Worldwide, the organization 
that performed the study for the roundtable. One of the most 
interesting aspects of this event was the presentation of a new 
national index--the Recreation Quality Index [RQI]--which reflects 
public perceptions regarding changes in recreation opportunities, 
quality of experience and personal participation. Regarding the 
significance of this development, I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. 
Pandolfi, who called the RQI ``a new, important expression of public 
opinion which can help guide and measure the impact of policy decisions 
in Washington and decisions by companies providing recreation goods and 
services. The RQI provides the first comprehensive reflection of 
satisfaction with outdoor recreation in America--not just a specific 
service provided or a specific recreational product.''
  Mr. President, I strongly encourage my colleagues to heed these words 
and to carefully study the recreational needs of the American people 
when considering legislation that affects our public lands and other 
issues that affect the $300 billion plus recreation industry in 
America.
  The material follows:

                        Partners Outdoors--1995


          fisheries restoration: successes from coast to coast

       America's anglers and boaters pay special federal taxes and 
     fees totaling more than $300 million annually--most of which 
     is deposited into the Wallop-Breaux Fund. A sizeable portion 
     of that money is then provided as grants to state fisheries 
     agencies for fisheries research, habitat improvements, 
     fisheries management activities and for expanded access to 
     public waters by anglers and boaters. The monies have had 
     direct and very successful consequences for fisheries from 
     coast to coast. In Alaska, Wallop-Breaux funding was used to 
     create a new sportfishing opportunity at Homer Spit, close to 
     the homes of many Alaskans and accessible by children, 
     persons with physical challenges and the elderly. Research 
     into sensory impregnation has brought a steady return of 
     large Chinook salmon to an area previously without any 
     sizable run.
       Similarly, federal assistance has been used on the east 
     coast by Maryland and other states to arrest the precipitous 
     decline in striped bass populations. Research efforts 
     [[Page S8050]] and fisheries management activities qualified 
     for 75% federal funding. As in many cases, the decline in the 
     fishery was attributable to a combination of pollution and 
     over-fishing. States along the east coast responded with an 
     ambitious recovery plan, limiting fishing and undertaking 
     some mitigation projects. The result is a strong return of 
     this popular sportfish in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding 
     areas and a reopening of fishing for this species.
       Partners in this effort include the millions of Americans 
     purchasing fishing tackle and motorboat fuels, the fishing 
     tackle industry which ``fronts'' the tax monies, the U.S. 
     Fish and Wildlife Service and state fish and wildlife 
     agencies across the nation.


                  aquatic resources education efforts

       Aquatic Resources Education Programs are underway across 
     the nation, thanks to Wallop-Breaux partners. Focusing 
     chiefly on youth, the programs teach subjects as diverse as 
     science and safety, fishing techniques and ethics. Up to 10% 
     of each state's Wallop-Breaux Fund allocation can be used for 
     these programs; overall, about 5% of the total funding to 
     states is being spent on these efforts. In ten years, some 
     two million young people have participated in state aquatic 
     resources education projects, and the programs are growing in 
     size and sophistication.
       One of the imaginative partnerships which has evolved in 
     aquatic resources education has been Pathway to Fishing. 
     Initiated by Outdoor Technologies Group and expanded to 
     include federal agencies ranging from the Forest Service and 
     the Bureau of Land Management to the Bureau of Reclamation as 
     well as Wal-Mart and other companies, Pathway events have 
     occurred at hundreds of sites across the nation. Pathway can 
     be conducted by a lake, river or pond--or even in a parking 
     lot or open field. Kids learn and have fun, regardless. 
     Volunteers from organizations such as B.A.S.S. and Trout 
     Unlimited as well as federal and state agencies act as 
     instructors in this 12-learning station effort.
       Another major focus of aquatic resources education is 
     National Fishing Week, which began on June 5. Hundreds of 
     events will be held across the nation. Partners in this 
     effort include the American Sportfishing Association, fishing 
     tackle companies, federal and state agencies, recreational 
     fishing organizations and the media.


    wallop/breaux: making our waters better for boating and fishing

       Although relatively new, the Wallop/Breaux program is 
     already causing tremendous positive changes in fishing and 
     boating--as well as in the health of our nation's surface 
     waters. Using a 10% federal excise tax at the manufacturer/
     importer level imposed with the support of industry plus the 
     federal motorfuel excise tax collected on gas used in 
     recreational boating, Wallop/Breaux provides grants to states 
     for fisheries management, for improved boating and fishing 
     access, for aquatic resources education programs, for 
     wetlands restoration, for construction of marine waste 
     disposal sites and for boating safety efforts by the U.S. 
     Coast Guard and state and local agencies.
       Using 3:1 matching federal grants, Wallop/Breaux program 
     partners accomplished the following between 1986 and 1993: 
     built 1600 new public boat launching ramps and related 
     facilities, including parking areas and restrooms; improved 
     9,700 public boat ramps; built 600 roads to open up access to 
     public waters; installed directional signs for thousands of 
     boating and fishing access sites; developed over 1,500 new 
     fishing access sites; and acquired at least 170 properties 
     and over 50,000 strategic acres to improve access to public 
     waters.
       In 1992, the Wallop-Breaux program was amended to add a new 
     emphasis on wetlands restoration. A new revenue source--the 
     federal excise tax on fuels used in lawnmowers, chainsaws, 
     snowblowers and other small-engine items--was approved by the 
     Congress. Approximately $50 million per year is now invested 
     in this wetlands effort.
       Partners in Wallop/Breaux include more than thirty national 
     recreation and conservation organizations which constitute 
     the American League of Anglers and Boaters, the U.S. Fish and 
     Wildlife Service, state fishery and boating agencies, the 
     U.S. Coast Guard and America's anglers and boaters.


                      wow--wonderful outdoor world

       On opposite coasts of the nation last year, two groups of 
     individuals addressed the lowered rate of exposure of today's 
     youth to traditional outdoor recreational activities such as 
     camping, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. Many factors 
     are behind this drop, from the lure of indoor pastimes to 
     changes in the structure of our families. The conversations 
     joined and a unique national partnership resulted called 
     ``WOW--Wonderful Outdoor World.'' Now operating in a pilot 
     effort in Los Angeles, the program brings tents, lanterns, 
     sleeping bags, fishing poles and other recreational items to 
     the neighborhoods of city kids and offers them camping 
     adventures within blocks of home. The program doesn't end 
     with this first exposure; ``graduates'' are helped to 
     understand the outdoor fun opportunities near-by and the 
     organizations available to make this fun accessible--from 
     city and county agencies to the Boy Scouts. Current partners 
     include the Walt Disney Company, the City of Los Angeles, the 
     Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Recreation 
     Roundtable, the Coleman Company, Chevy/Geo Environmental, 
     Ralphs Grocery Company, California State Parks, Wells Cargo 
     Trailers, California State University at Long Beach and the 
     L.A. Times. Partners hope to learn from the monthly camping 
     adventures for 9-12 year-olds between May 1995 and April 1996 
     and to expand the program both in Los Angeles and to more 
     cities.


               smokey bear balloon floats across america

       In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Smokey Bear, the 
     Forest Service and many friends and partners helped create a 
     new non-profit organization based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 
     to build and ``campaign'' a new hot air balloon in the shape 
     of Smokey Bear. Towering 85 feet high and 75 feet across, the 
     balloon has already made almost 100 flights. The balloon 
     travels with a specially constructed trailer, donated by 
     Fleetwood Enterprises, which offers an outstanding fire and 
     conservation ethics message. This newest icon for Smokey, one 
     of America's best known and best loved symbols, is totally 
     privately funded but works in close harmony with federal and 
     state forestry
      organizations. Smokey recently flew in formation with 
     another famed American symbol--Mickey Mouse--at the Walt 
     Disney World Resort, celebrating both the partnerships 
     reflected by the balloon and the origin of the idea for 
     the balloon--at the first Partners Outdoors conference at 
     the Florida site.


                       winter sports partnership

       Approximately half of all downhill skiing in the United 
     States occurs at ski areas operating on national forests. 
     Private funding has been used to build the lifts and other 
     facilities, which are then operated under long term permits 
     which return revenues to the government. The ski areas also 
     assist the Forest Service with wildlife management, 
     interpretation and other programs.
       A partnership was established among the U.S. Disabled Ski 
     Team, Olympic Gold Medalist Sarah Will, Dick Bass of 
     Snowbird, the National Ski Area's Association and the U.S. 
     Forest Service in 1994. At this time, a Memorandum of 
     Understanding (MOU) was signed by Under Secretary Jim Lyons, 
     Forest Service Chief Jack Ward Thomas and the President of 
     the National Ski Area's Association Michael Berry. The MOU 
     supports enhancing public awareness of ecosystems through 
     environmental education at ski areas at National Forest 
     lands, particularly ski areas, increasing partnership 
     recognition, encouraging stewardship of public land and 
     demonstrating the availability of the National Forests to 
     people of all ages, abilities and cultures.


                             tread lightly

       This program was started by the Forest Service in 1986 to 
     help protect public and private lands through education about 
     responsible use of off-highway vehicles. To maximize its 
     effectiveness, Tread Lightly, Inc., a non-profit organization 
     funded and managed by the private sector, was incorporated in 
     1990. Tread Lightly unites manufacturers, publishers, 
     environmental groups and individuals who share a basic 
     commitment to recognize and protect our valuable resources. 
     Some of these partners are: Jeep, Honda, Toyota, Range Rover, 
     the Perlman Group, Warn Industries, the Izaak Walton League, 
     Goodyear and Four Wheeler Magazine.


                    access america's great outdoors

       The partnership is among the American Recreation Coalition, 
     the Forest Service, MIG Communications, Quickie Designs and 
     Wilderness Inquiry. It involves a comprehensive approach to 
     integrating universal access to outdoor recreation 
     environments and supports the full implementation of the 
     Americans with Disabilities Act.
       Efforts on this program were inspired by the President's 
     Commission on Americans Outdoors. Among the products of this 
     partnership are: a design guidebook offering practical and 
     creative information to public and private recreation 
     facility operators alike; improved facilities across the 
     nation; demonstrations for the Western Governors Association 
     and recreation community leaders and national awareness 
     through media stories.


                          back country byways

       The Bureau of Land Management's Back Country Byways program 
     now includes more than 70 routes, showcasing some of the 
     scenic and cultural best of the West. The BLM program has 
     enjoyed the active support of national partners such as the 
     American Recreation Coalition, Farmers Insurance Companies 
     and American Isuzu as well as dozens of local corporate, 
     municipal and civic organizations. Three outstanding byways 
     have been developed recently in the state of Arizona. 
     Historic Route 66 is a part of many family histories dating 
     back to the 1920s. The 42-mile scenic road offers an 
     outstanding side-trip for visitors traveling to Arizona, 
     California and Nevada. The Historic Route 66 Association, 
     Kingman, Oatman and Topack chambers of commerce, Mohave 
     County and Arizona state governmental agencies have worked 
     cooperatively to develop and promote this back country byway.
       In March 1994, the Black Hills Back Country Byway was 
     dedicated celebrating ``Riches from the Earth.'' This 21-mile 
     road journeys through rough terrain, provides opportunities 
     for rockhounding, viewing wildlife, hiking, rafting the Gila 
     River and many other activities as well as seeing one of the 
     nation's largest copper mining sites. This byway was 
     developed as a partnership with Phelps Dodge and the Graham 
     and Greenlee Counties and chambers of commerce.
     [[Page S8051]]
     
                          blackfoot challenge

       Facing population growth and the consequences of poor land 
     use practices in the past, the large and lovely Blackfoot 
     River valley in Montana was threatened and in need of 
     comprehensive action. The Bureau of Land Management led 
     efforts to develop a common vision for the region and then 
     enlist public and private partners able to turn the vision 
     into reality. The result is both astonishing and encouraging. 
     Major corporations such as Plum Creek Timber
      and Phelps Dodge Mining have joined federal agencies, 
     environmental organizations, local governments and private 
     citizens to develop a land use strategy for the area, 
     target priority sites for clean-ups and other mitigation 
     and communicate goals to landowners in the area. The 
     effort has been aided by use of GIS and other new 
     technologies. The valley now has a markedly more positive 
     future.


                  blm: hidden partnerships in the east

       BLM has developed partnerships with numerous states, oil 
     and gas companies, wild horse and burro adopters, as well as 
     historically black colleges and universities. These 
     organizations have worked together to protect wildlife 
     habitat, introduce non-traditional publics to the outdoors, 
     improve recreation opportunities, protect fragile ecosystems 
     and cultural resources, and improve environmental education 
     programs.


                      national river clean-up week

       As the national coordinator, America Outdoors originated 
     this program in 1992 in partnership with federal agencies and 
     the private sector. The organizations participating include: 
     Bureau of Reclamation, Forest Service, Bureau of Land 
     Management, National Park Service, American Canoe 
     Association, American Rivers, American Whitewater 
     Affiliation, North American Paddle Sports Association and The 
     National Association of Canoe Liveries and Outfitters.
       Since the inception of this partnership, 100,000 volunteers 
     have participated in 1,600 clean-ups covering 30,000 miles of 
     waterways. American Outdoors donates staff time for 
     promotion, coordination, fund raising, distribution of trash 
     bags and development of educational materials. The federal 
     agencies provide logistical support to volunteers for clean-
     ups on public land, assist with the acquisition of trash bags 
     and coordinate clean-ups. The private sector promotes clean-
     ups among their membership and provides educational material 
     on the value of maintaining healthy riparian zones and 
     waterways.


         campbell creek (alaska) environmental education center

       A partnership, including ARCO, Anchorage School District, 
     National Audubon Society and Alaska Pacific University along 
     with BLM, designed the Campbell Creek Environmental Education 
     Center that will be located in a residential facility and 
     will be built by the BLM on the Campbell Tract in Anchorage. 
     The facility will be completed in 1996 and will include a 
     10,000 square-foot education center, two dormitories, outdoor 
     amphitheater and interpretive trails. The center will provide 
     children and others with the opportunity to experience the 
     outdoors, learn about wildlife and understand the role people 
     play in the local and global environment. The center will 
     also promote behaviors, practices and lifestyles that have 
     minimal impact on the environment.


                      public land appreciation day

       PLAD was initiated by Times Mirror Magazines (TMM) in 1994 
     and encourages conservation-oriented volunteers to help 
     diminish the huge back-log of restoration projects on our 
     nation's public lands.
       Through TMM, reaching 30 million readers, a call to action 
     was given that mobilized forces to public land sites across 
     the country. Five federal government agencies--the Bureau of 
     Land Management, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Forest 
     Service, the Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service 
     are partners with TMM. At each site, agency staff oversee the 
     PLAD volunteers who work on restoration projects. All the 
     tools needed to accomplish the work are donated by the PLAD 
     corporate sponsors.
       PLAD started with two pilot sites in 1994 and has expanded 
     to 15 sites in 1995. By the end of the century, there will be 
     hundreds of PLAD sites throughout the country and people will 
     know that on the last Saturday in September they can go to a 
     local site to do their part.


          lake havasu (arizona) fisheries improvement program

       This program partnership includes the Bureau of Land 
     Management, Anglers United, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 
     Bureau of Reclamation, California Department of Fish and 
     Game, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and 
     the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is the largest and 
     most comprehensive warm water fisheries project ever 
     undertaken in the United States. The $28.5 million program 
     meets the needs of a host of anglers, revitalizes the 
     fishery, and restores populations of native fish in Lake 
     Havasu.
       This program will increase access for all shoreline anglers 
     by construction of foot trails, fishing docks, access roads 
     and parking areas. Other facilities such as fish cleaning 
     stations, ramadas with picnic tables, interpretive areas and 
     restrooms will be added in eight access areas. Over 150 
     artificial habitat
      structures will be placed in the lake to provide spawning 
     sites, feeding locations and escape cover for the 
     declining populations of sport fish. Volunteers are a 
     major factor in the construction and placement of 
     artificial habitat structures in the lake. Hundreds of 
     volunteers contribute thousands of hours each year at work 
     sites on the lake. Community involvement complements the 
     partner contributions to implement this program. The Lake 
     Havasu Fisheries improvement program provides exhibits and 
     a habitat construction station for participants and their 
     families so that they actually help make structures on 
     site.


                         CONSERVATION GOOD TURN

       Conquistador Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the 
     Roswell District of the BLM brought 300 scouts and scouters 
     to the dunes in southeast New Mexico. They learned the eight 
     principles of Leave No Trace camping from BLM staff and 
     scouters that were trained by a BLM specialist. An afternoon 
     was devoted to conservation projects in the area. Fences were 
     built and repaired; boundary signs were hung on those fences; 
     concrete was mixed and poured to set poles for other signs; 
     picnic tables were painted; and over one and one-half tons of 
     litter was removed from the area and the adjacent highway. At 
     the end of the project, BLM and the BSA signed a Memorandum 
     of Understanding to make Conservation Good Turn an annual 
     event.


                   LAKE LANIER AND THE 1996 OLYMPICS

       In December 1993, Lake Lanier was selected as the venue for 
     the 1996 Olympic rowing and sprint and canoe/kayak events. 
     Immediately following the announcement, the city of 
     Gainsville, Hall County and the Mobile and Savannah Districts 
     of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a cooperative 
     effort to prepare the site for the July 1996 competition. 
     Through this partnership, leases, reviews, permit approval 
     processes, cultural resources surveys and environmental 
     clearances were all expedited. Construction is currently 
     underway and the project is on schedule. After the Olympic 
     games, the site will be used for local, state and national 
     rowing and/or sprint and canoe/kayaking events.


    SPECIAL HANDICAPPED HUNTING AND FISHING OPPORTUNITIES IN GEORGIA

       The Augusta and Atlanta areas are regional centers for 
     spinal cord injury patients. The Savannah District U.S. Army 
     Corps of Engineers formed a partnership with the Georgia 
     Handicapped Association, the Southeastern Paralyzed Veterans 
     Association, local bass clubs and the Georgia Department of 
     Natural Resources to provide improved hunting and fishing 
     opportunities for physically challenged sportsmen. The first 
     special hunt was for Eastern wild turkeys and took place on 
     April 1, 1991, on J. Strom Thurmond Lake for 11 sportsmen 
     confined to wheelchairs. It was the first hunt of its kind on 
     public lands and resulted in nationwide publicity. In the 
     second series of hunts, 65 physically challenged sportsmen 
     participated in a deer hunt at Richard B. Russell Lake and 
     harvested 62 deer during the 1993 and 1994 seasons. For the 
     past 3 years, bass tournaments were sponsored in the Georgia 
     and South Carolina areas. Bass club fisherman provided the 
     boats and were paired with a physically challenged sportsman. 
     Additional hunts and fishing tournaments are scheduled for 
     this season.


              FISHERIES HABITAT ENHANCEMENT IN MISSISSIPPI

       This program is a project of Enid and Sardis Lakes in the 
     Vicksburg, Mississippi District of the U.S. Army Corps of 
     Engineers. Members of the Sardis, Batesville, Oxford and 
     Yalobusha County bass clubs and the Otoucalfa Sportsman's 
     Club collect Christmas trees, donated by the public, and 
     place them in the Enid and Sardis Lakes as fish shelters. The 
     partnership included the Mississippi Highway Department and 
     South Central Bell who donated anchoring material and excess 
     wire for the project.


                           CHATFIELD WETLANDS

       A 20-acre wetland serving as a wildlife sanctuary and 
     environmental education center was created and is now being 
     sustained by a unique partnership of federal and state 
     government agencies, Martin Marietta Astronautics and local 
     conservation enthusiasts. The area is located within 
     Chatfield State Park, Colorado's most visited park, located 
     just minutes from Denver. Already an example of a 
     partnership, since Chatfield is a Corps of Engineers area 
     being operated by the state, Chatfield became even more 
     ``cutting edge'' when innovative state and industry leaders 
     devised an innovative way to reuse 350,000 gallons of 
     treated, high quality waste water from a Martin Marietta 
     plant. Rather than a long-distance pumping operation to 
     discharge the water into a high volume water body, as 
     required by federal and state regulation, the waste water is 
     instead deposited into a new wetland area close to the plant 
     site. Volunteers planted grasses and other vegetation and the 
     site was in use by waterfowl within days of initial 
     discharges. Martin Marietta has also paid for the 
     construction of a viewing site at the wetland area, which is 
     immediately adjacent to a planned trail hub center and an 
     existing major environmental education center. The site is 
     readily accessible for school trips and has become a real 
     asset for the Denver area.


                       PARTNERS IN INTERPRETATION

       More than a billion visits are made each year to America's 
     parks, forests and other public lands. In many cases, little 
     or no contact occurs between the visitors and the federal 
     officials managing the areas because of 
     [[Page S8052]] manpower limits, inadequate visitor facilities 
     and the pattern of visitation. Yet recently, the Forest 
     Service and the National Park Service have launched 
     imaginative programs to reach more visitors with 
     interpretation programs which add substantially to the 
     quality of the experience. In both cases, the agencies work 
     in partnership with private businesses serving visitors in 
     the areas: resorts and campgrounds, AMTRAK, motorcoach tour 
     operators and cruise lines serving Alaska. The results are 
     exciting--and appreciated by the visitors.
       More than 150,000 people each year are now treated to the 
     majesty of Glacier Bay aboard cruise ships. Most of these 
     visitors have the added advantage of special interpretive 
     programs about the land and the bay and the diverse wildlife 
     found here. Companies such as Holland American have entered 
     into agreements with the National Park Service which provide 
     for two NPS interpreters to be on-board the ships, holding 
     regular seminars and answering questions. The cruise lines 
     pay for this service and provide the facilities needed by the 
     NPS, even helping to sell guidebooks and other items. The 
     cruise ships allow hundreds of thousands of people to see 
     areas like Glacier Bay without construction of the on-land 
     facilities which would be required for normal visits. 
     Everyone benefits!
       The Forest Service has developed similar cooperative 
     arrangements with hotels and resorts in the Pacific Northwest 
     and with AMTRAK, putting a trained Forest Service interpreter 
     on key trains in the West, for example. Again, private sector 
     contributions offset the cost of the interpreter to the 
     agency, and the private sector also provides the 
     interpretation site eliminating the needed for federal 
     outlays for construction.
     

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