[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 98 (Friday, July 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1399-E1400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE BWCA WILDERNESS LEGACY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 1997

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the BWCA Wilderness 
Legacy Act. This legislation provides further protections for the 
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota. This 
Forest Service wilderness area is the most popular, most widely used 
wilderness area in our entire National Wilderness System.
  The National Government has always recognized the Boundary Waters 
Canoe Area Wilderness [BWCAW] as a special area and a unique national 
treasure. From the designation of the Superior National Forest by 
President Teddy Roosevelt, to the inclusion of the Boundary Waters 
Canoe Area in the original Wilderness Act by Senator Hubert Humphrey, 
the BWCAW has been singled out as an area worthy of special attention 
and preservation.
  That special attention has been worthwhile for our Nation, for 
Minnesota, for northeastern Minnesotans, and for all those families who 
have used and enjoyed the BWCA Wilderness. The BWCAW is the most widely 
used of all our units within the National Wilderness System. While the 
BWCAW makes up only 1 percent of the total Wilderness System acreage, 
this alone accounts for over 10 percent of the use.
  This level of use provided a real economic boost to northeastern 
Minnesota. According to U.S. Forest Service testimony before a Senate 
Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee, the BWCAW and its users 
contribute nearly $30 million to the local economy each year.
  Unfortunately, the popularity of the BWCAW has also necessitated 
reasoned and increased restrictions and protections for the resource, 
due to the fact that the BWCAW is such a highly fragile resource that 
cannot withstand the trauma of such overuse or abusive use. If the 
BWCAW is to be available for the enjoyment of our children and 
grandchildren, effective and responsible limits on the use of the 
resource and the intrusion of man must be firmly set in place.
  The popularity and the competing uses of the BWCAW have engendered 
passionate views on this resource and its protection. Today's 
controversy and the inability to reach a complete consensus should not 
be surprising nor is it a new phenomena. The BWCAW has been the focus 
of some controversy throughout its history. Every effort at preserving 
the BWCAW for the enjoyment of future generations has been met by 
strong opposition. The designation in the 1920's of parts of the 
Superior National Forest as primitive and off limits to roads; 
President Truman's ban of flights over the BWCAW below 4,000 feet; and 
the designation of the area in the 1960's invoked disputes similar to 
those we see today. Even the decision in the 1977 Boundary Waters Canoe 
Area Wilderness Act to ban logging in the wilderness was hotly 
contested. Today these steps are accepted and viewed by most Minnesota 
as essential to preserving the wilderness.
  Some have tried to portray today's debate over restoring trucks to 
two portages in the BWCAW as issues of access and broken promises. That 
is not the case. This is not a debate about access to motorized lakes 
because motorboats use and access are being accomplished and fully 
utilized in accord with the 1978 BWCAW Wilderness Act.
  According to the Forest Service, the day use motor permits for 
Basswood in 1994 and 1995 were completely used--1,017 day use permits 
for the Newton-Pipestone entry point and 1,358 for Prairie Portage. For 
Trout Lake, 95 percent of the permits were used in 1994--539 out of 565 
permits--with 81 percent used in 1995--456 out of 565 permits. It is 
important to note that each permit covers up to four boats. If one 
assumes an average of 2 boats per permit, nearly 5,000 motorboats 
entered Basswood Lake via the Newton-Pipestone and Prairie Portages 
each year under day use permits issued, while approximately 1,000 
motorboats entered Trout Lake. As the Forest Service data demonstrates, 
even after the trucks were removed from the portages, access to Trout 
and Basswood was and is available. For individuals who do not want to 
or cannot portage their own boat, commercial portage services are 
available for Prairie Portage.
  Six-thousand motorboats can't be wrong--a feasible, nonmotorized 
means of transporting boats across the portages exist and mechanized 
portages should not and need not be reintroduced into the BWCA.
  This legislation, which I am introducing today, establishes for 
congressional consideration, an alternative policy path and future for 
the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It is a policy course that 
emphasizes protection of the wilderness and nonmotorized use over 
increased motor use. It is a policy course that, based on last year's 
debate, enjoys the support of a broad majority of Minnesotans.
  The impact of the BWCA Wilderness Legacy Act is straightforward. This 
legislation proposes wilderness addition and protections for 7,400 new 
acres in the BWCAW. The bill closes to motorboat use Lac La Croix and 
Loon Lake on the western boundary of the BWCA. It also closes, 
effective January 1, 1999, all of Sea Gull Lake within the wilderness 
to motorboat use. Under the current law only a portion of Sea Gull Lake 
is to be closed to motorboat use on that date, the remaining section of 
the lake currently is scheduled to remain open for motorboat use. 
Finally, the legislation prohibits the use of towboats within the 
entire BWCA wilderness.
  I understand the strong feelings that all Minnesotans have regarding 
the BWCAW. Minnesotans and the Nation view the BWCAW as a national 
treasure. All of Minnesota has a stake in and a responsibility toward 
the future of the BWCAW. In Minnesota, such stewardship 
responsibilities are a serious matter.

[[Page E1400]]

These Minnesotans, an overwhelming majority of the State, support 
policies that protect the BWCAW and ensure the this phenomenal resource 
is available for more than the instant gratification and pleasure of 
solely today's generation. These Minnesotans, in all state-wide polls 
and in their letters and comments to me and other members of the State 
congressional delegation, have strongly voiced their views that this 
fragile resource should be preserved as an valuable wilderness legacy 
for today and tomorrow.
  The BWCAW Wilderness Legacy Act sets in place the policy path to 
accomplish that goal and honor this Minnesota and national sentiment.

                       BWCA Wilderness Legacy Act


                          legislative summary

       Section 1. Bill Title. The BWCA Wilderness Legacy Act.
       Section 2. Congressional findings.
       The BWCA offers a unique lakeland experience for present 
     and future generations. The BWCA is an international, 
     national and Minnesota treasure worthy of preservation as a 
     wilderness area. Congress has supported the protection of the 
     BWCA as a wilderness area. The BWCA is the most widely used 
     wilderness unit in the entire wilderness system. A majority 
     of Minnesotans support greater wilderness protection for the 
     BWCAW. Further protection of the BWCA is necessary.
       Section 3. Wilderness Additions.
       Expands the BWCA Wilderness by 7,370 acres. The total 
     wilderness area is increased from 1,087,000 to 1,094,370 
     acres. (Specific wilderness additions are listed below.)
       Section 4. Motorized Use.
       Closes all portions of Sea Gull Lake within the wilderness 
     area to motorized use on January 1, 1999. Closes Lac La Croix 
     and Leon Lake to motorized use on the date of enactment. 
     Prohibits the use of towboats within the entire BWCA 
     wilderness on January 1, 1998.
       Section 5. Extends current prohibition on aircraft over the 
     BWCA to wilderness additions.


                    wilderness additions--7370 acres

       (1) Crocodile Lake Addition. (40 acres)--Far western tip 
     currently outside border, though the vast majority of 
     Crocodile Lake lies within the BWCAW. Crocodile lies just 
     south of popular East Bearskin Lake.
       (2) Dislocation Lake Addition. (340 acres)--Off the 
     Gunflint Trail southwest of Lima Mountain, immediately north 
     of the Ram Lake BWCA entry point #44. State and federal land 
     only. Includes Dislocation and Sled Lakes just outside 
     wilderness border.
       (3) Ball Club Lake Addition. (800 acres)--Near Eagle 
     Mountain, includes BWCA entry point 42. Includes (3) Ball 
     Club Lake, Ball Club Creek, and Cleaver Lake leading into 
     BWCA Wilderness.
       (4) Lizz Lake Addition. (100 acres)--includes all of Lizz 
     Lake which is currently half out of the wilderness. All 
     federal land. On the popular and heavily used canoe route 
     from Poplar Lake into wilderness; entry point 47.
       (5) Meditation Lake Addition. (40 acres)--Located just 
     southeast of Seagull. Eastern shore of lake outside BWCAW, 
     western shore within; all federal shoreline. Connected by 20 
     rod portage to Seagull Lake.
       (6) West Round Lake. (240 acres)--All federal land. 
     Includes all of West Round Lake and Edith Lake on the popular 
     canoe route from public landing on Round. Entry point 53.
       (7) Bedew Lake Addition. (40 acres)--Just north of Rush 
     Lake and south of Gunflint Trail. Lake currently half out of 
     the wilderness.
       (8) Nighthawk Lake Addition. (30 acres)--Nighthawk Lake 
     lies SE of Swamp Lake near the Gunflint Trail. Nighthawk Lake 
     is currently half in, half out of the wilderness.
       (9) Camp Lake Addition. (50 acres)--This lake lies west of 
     Newton Lake. The wilderness boundary currently cuts through 
     the lake; most of the lake currently lies inside the 
     wilderness. The addition includes nearly all federal land, 
     with perhaps just a sliver of county land.
       (10) Geraldine Lake Addition. (60 acres)--This lake lies 
     half in and half out of the BWCAW, just west of the North arm 
     of Burntside Lake. All federal land, in Sec. 4.
       (11) Homer-Brule Addition. (2,880 acres)--North end of the 
     RARE-II proposed addition. This addition includes all federal 
     land except for a county 40 on Homer, a county 40 on Axe 
     Lake, a state 40 on Juno (some already in BWCA), and the 
     previously private lands (now all federal) on Sky Blue Waters 
     Lodge site on Brule. Public landing on far east end of Homer 
     Lake. Nesting site of rare Boreal Owl. Homer Lake currently 
     half in, half out of BWCA Wilderness. Popular Canoe route, 
     entry point 40.
       (12) Ham Lake Addition. (600 acres)--Entirely federally 
     owned land. Currently serves as BWCA entry point 51. Includes 
     all of Ham Lake within wilderness, including four wilderness 
     campsites on Ham.
       (13) Star Lake Addition. (660 acres)--Opposite Homer Lake 
     across road. All state and federal land; state owns southern 
     bay.
       (14) Stuart Portage Addition. (550 acres)--Protects entire 
     Stuart River portage; appropriately three-quarters of a mile 
     from the wilderness boundary to the trailhead.
       (15) Mine-Dogleg-Chub Lakes Addition. (940 acres)--Includes 
     all of these three lakes. Private land around Mine Lake 
     (Ogelbay Norton) has since been purchased by the Forest 
     Service through FY 92 LAWCON funds. Site of former Paulsen 
     Mine, circa 1893. Protests east end of Kekekabic Trail.

     

                          ____________________