[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 4, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1882-S1883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BENNETT:
  S. 278. A bill to make certain adjustments to the boundaries of the 
Mount Naomi Wilderness Area, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Mount Naomi 
Wilderness Boundary Adjustment Act.
  Included in the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984, the Mount Naomi 
Wilderness is one of Utah's largest wilderness areas at over 44,000 
acres. It is a very scenic area and contains some of the best examples 
of alpine terrain in the intermountain west. There are large 
populations of moose, elk, and deer. It is an area truly worthy of its 
designation.

[[Page S1883]]

  Unfortunately the boundaries were drawn in such a way as to have some 
unintended consequences. Running through the wilderness is a utility 
corridor, containing a major electricity transmission line. This power 
line serves the residents of Logan and the whole south end of Cache 
Valley. Because of restrictions in the Wilderness Act of 1964, 
maintaining and repairing the power line will be very difficult in the 
future.
  Also impacted by Mount Naomi's boundaries is one of Utah's most 
popular hiking and mountain biking trails: the Bonneville Shoreline 
Trail. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail, when completed will be over 250 
miles in length. Starting in Nephi and heading north into Idaho, the 
trail will follow the shoreline of ancient Lake Bonneville. The 
alignment of the trail is planned to go through a small part of the 
Mount Naomi Wilderness. While hikers and equestrian users would be 
permitted to use this section of the trail, mountain bikers would be 
prohibited. The city of Logan has tried to work to change the alignment 
to adjacent private property to no avail.
  The legislation I am introducing today would redraw the boundaries of 
the Mount Naomi Wilderness. The acreage of this wilderness area would 
not change, thirty-one current acres would be excluded and thirty-one 
new acres would be added. The newly added lands will be managed 
pursuant to the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984. The boundaries will now 
better reflect the topography of Mount Naomi and the inconsistent uses 
will be removed from the wilderness.
  This legislation was originally offered in the 107th Congress by 
former Representative Jim Hansen. It passed the House of 
Representatives but was never acted upon by the Senate. The city of 
Logan, Cache County, and the United States Forest Service all are 
supportive of this legislation.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to pass 
this legislation this session.
                                 ______