[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 28, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9774-S9776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WILDERNESS ACT

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, September 3, 2004, marked the 40th 
anniversary of the Wilderness Act. I have introduced a resolution, S. 
Res. 387, commemorating this important milestone, and I hope the Senate 
will approve this resolution, which has 18 cosponsors, before we 
adjourn for the year.
  I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the many people 
who have

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helped us preserve over 106 million acres of wilderness for future 
generations to hike, to hunt, to fish, and to enjoy.
  People such as Howard Zahniser, Olaus and Mardy Murie, Ceila Hunter, 
and Bob Marshall had the vision to protect our wild places. Legislators 
such as John Saylor and Hubert Humphrey listened to them and made their 
vision a reality.
  As a Senator from Wisconsin, I feel a special bond with this issue. 
My State has produced great wilderness thinkers and leaders, such as 
the writer and conservationist Aldo Leopold, whose ``A Sand County 
Almanac'' helped to galvanize the environmental movement; like Sierra 
Club founder John Muir; and like Sigurd Olson, one of the founders of 
the Wilderness Society.
  Senator Clinton Anderson of New Mexico said that his support of the 
wilderness system was the direct result of discussions he had held 
almost 40 years before with Leopold. And then-Secretary of the Interior 
Stewart Udall referred to Leopold as the instigator of the modern 
wilderness movement.
  For others, the ideas of Olson and Muir--particularly the idea that 
preserving wilderness is a way for us to better understand our 
country's history and the frontier experience--provided an important 
justification for the wilderness system.
  I am privileged to hold the Senate seat held by Gaylord Nelson, a man 
for whom I have the greatest admiration and respect. He is a well-known 
and widely respected former Senator and two-term Governor of Wisconsin, 
and the founder of Earth Day. What I find so remarkable is that, even 
after a distinguished career in public service, he continues to work 
for conservation. He is currently devoting his time to the protection 
of wilderness by serving as a counselor to the Wilderness Society--an 
activity which is quite appropriate for someone who was a co-sponsor, 
along with former Senator Proxmire, of the bill that became the 
Wilderness Act.

  I am proud of Wisconsin's part in making this legislation law, and I 
am proud to carry on that tradition through the Senate Wilderness 
Caucus.
  I also wish to thank my colleagues the senior Senator from West 
Virginia, Mr. Byrd, the senior Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Kennedy, 
and the senior Senator from Hawaii, Mr. Inouye, all of whom served in 
the Senate in 1964 and voted for the Wilderness Act.
  That Act was the first piece of legislation in the world to preserve 
wild places. Forty years after the act passed, wilderness still enjoys 
widespread, bipartisan support. Just recently the Bush administration 
announced its recommendation for wilderness designation of the Apostle 
Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin, a place that is near and dear 
to my heart and to the hearts of many Wisconsinites. I thank my former 
staffer Mary Frances Repko, who for 9 years worked tirelessly to 
promote, protect, and push for a wilderness study for the Apostles 
Islands, and to preserve America's public lands.
  In closing, I would like to remind colleagues of the words of Aldo 
Leopold in his 1949 book, ``A Sand County Almanac.'' He said, ``The 
outstanding scientific discovery of the twentieth century is not the 
television, or radio, but rather the complexity of the land organism. 
Only those who know the most about it can appreciate how little is 
known about it.'' We still have much to learn, but this anniversary of 
the Wilderness Act reminds us how far we have come and how the 
commitment to public lands that the Senate and the Congress 
demonstrated 40 years ago continues to benefit all Americans.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I recently received a letter from Mrs. 
Margaret Baker of Hillsboro, WV, who wrote of ``how important 
wilderness areas are to the quality of life in West Virginia.'' Writing 
about West Virginia's Cranberry Wilderness Area, she explains that, in 
this special place ``you can take your children here and actually see 
what nature looks like when it's not in a neatly labeled museum 
exhibit, when the animals aren't in cages and the trees aren't trimmed 
into perfect little bricketts of shrubbery.''
  Mrs. Baker's letter continues:

       My husband and I hike in the Cranberry Wilderness and 
     always see something that is astonishing, a forest of ferns, 
     an abstract art work of lichen or sunset colored mushrooms. 
     You can see a picture of a wilderness area but unless you 
     smell it, and feel the mud under your boots, experience the 
     light shining on it and hear the birds and crickets, you 
     can't really appreciate how amazing the offerings of the 
     planet are. I think West Virginians have a duty to preserve 
     this reminder of what is good and wholesome and worth being 
     optimistic about in our world. Help keep West Virginia wild.

  I share that letter today for several reasons. The first is that Mrs. 
Baker's letter gives me the opportunity to boast of the natural beauty 
of West Virginia, which everyone knows I like to do. One should not 
doubt that areas like the Cranberry Wilderness are both beautiful and 
unique. This incredible area of 35,864 acres of broad and massive 
mountains and deep, narrow valleys is the State's largest wilderness 
area.
  As Mrs. Baker's letter so movingly indicates, visitors to the 
Cranberry Wilderness directly and vividly experience nature. Its 
wildlife includes black bear, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, mink, 
bobcat, numerous varieties of birds, and many species of reptiles. The 
waters of the Cranberry Wilderness are home to brook trout and several 
species of amphibians. Vegetation in the area includes spruce and 
hemlock at the higher elevations and hardwood trees such as black 
cherry and yellow birch and thickets of rhododendrons and mountain 
laurel in the lower terrain.
  How exciting and rewarding it is to know that individuals like Mrs. 
Baker are able to use and enjoy this great wilderness. I certainly 
agree with Mrs. Baker that we ``have a duty to preserve this [and 
other] reminders of what is good and wholesome.''
  That brings me to my second reason for sharing Mrs. Baker's letter 
with you. This year, 2004, is the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness 
Act of 1964, which was enacted to ensure that special places like the 
Cranberry Wilderness would be protected for future generations. In an 
era of ``an ever increasing population, accompanied by expanding 
settlement and growing mechanization,'' the Wilderness Act declared 
that we must secure the land where ``the earth and its community of 
life are untrammeled by man and where man himself is a visitor.''
  My home State of West Virginia has certainly benefitted from the 
creation of wilderness areas, and the Cranberry Wilderness is just one 
of the five wilderness areas in my State. The others include Dolly 
Sods, Otter Creek, Laurel Fork North, and Laurel Fork South Wilderness 
Areas, and West Virginia remains wild and wonderful, in part, because 
of Congress's actions. Furthermore, our Nation's 662 wilderness areas 
have given Americans a freedom to explore. This freedom has been 
secured and protected so that future generations also may enjoy the 
beauty of God's creation.
  Covered from end to end, and on all sides, by the ancient Appalachian 
Mountains, West Virginia is exquisite in its natural splendor. It is 
the most southern of the northern; the most northern of the southern; 
the most eastern of the western; and the most western of the eastern 
States. It is where the east says ``good morning'' to the west, and 
where Yankee Doodle and Dixie kiss each other goodnight.
  It is only fitting that, on the celebration of the 40th anniversary 
of the Wilderness Act, we cast our eyes backward so that we might have 
insight into how to better prepare for future events. On a whole range 
of important issues, the Senate has always been blessed with Senators 
who were able to reach across party lines and consider, first and 
foremost, the national interest.
  Our late colleague, Senator Hubert H. Humphrey was certainly such a 
person. He introduced the first wilderness bill in the Senate in 1956 
and was there for its passage in 1964. Other former colleagues had this 
ability, including Senators Scoop Jackson, Clinton Anderson, Frank 
Church, Richard Russell, and Mike Mansfield. They understood the art of 
legislating, and they reveled in it. For this and other reasons, I am 
also honored to be associated with such Senators and to be the 
recipient of the Hubert H. Humphrey Wilderness Leadership Award that 
was presented to me earlier this month.
  As we look back 40 years, we can see how the seeds of legislation 
have blossomed. This certainly rings true of the

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passage of the Wilderness Act. Through four Congresses, Members on both 
sides of the aisle worked through the key challenges and made the right 
compromises rather than simply succumbing to the purely political 
tactics and rhetoric that seem to dominate today. The debate on the 
Wilderness Act should serve as a great example of how Members of both 
parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives can come 
together to pass historic pieces of legislation.
  It is hard for me to believe that 40 years have passed since Congress 
first approved the Wilderness Act. It is also hard to believe that only 
Senators Inouye and Kennedy and I remain in the Senate as Members who 
voted for that original legislation. Yet today we can proudly say that 
the original designation of 9.1 million acres in that first bill has 
expanded to more than 105 million acres in 44 States. I believe that 
this landmark legislation should serve as a lesson for those who are 
seeking guidance regarding other important measures before this and 
future Congresses.
  In closing, I am reminded of the immortal words of one of America's 
foremost conservationists and outdoorsmen, John Muir:

       Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days, inciting 
     at once to work and rest! Days in whose light everything 
     seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us 
     God. Nevermore, however weary, should one faint by the way 
     who gains the blessing of one mountain day: whatever his 
     fate, long life, short life, stormy or calm, he is rich 
     forever. . . . I only went out for a walk, and finally 
     concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, 
     was going in.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 40th 
anniversary of the Wilderness Act.
  From the days of the earliest settlers, wilderness has always been a 
defining part of our national heritage. Simply put, the American 
wilderness helped shape the American values of freedom, opportunity and 
independence.
  As it did in 1964, Nevada still contains many of the wildest and 
least traveled places in the lower 48 States. The remote and untamed 
areas of Nevada represent a reservoir of challenges and opportunities 
for hunters, fishermen, birdwatchers, photographers, and other 
outdoorsmen.
  We all play a stewardship role, and I am proud of the job our nation 
has done and continues to do in upholding these uniquely American 
values.
  In particular, I would like to recognize four individuals from my 
home State of Nevada who are true wilderness heroes.
  Marge Sill has advocated protecting wild places for more than 4 
decades. She worked to pass the 1964 Act, as well as every Nevada 
wilderness bill since then. Marge helped establish the Friends of 
Nevada Wilderness, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and 
has mentored multiple generations of wilderness advocates.
  Hermie and John Hiatt have been leaders in Nevada conservation 
efforts for more than 2 decades. Their tireless advocacy for wilderness 
and environmental protection particularly in southern and eastern 
Nevada serves as inspiration for many. Their interest in and knowledge 
of the science behind conservation serves Nevada well.
  Finally I would like to recognize Roger Scholl, who played a key role 
in the development of the 1989 Nevada Wilderness Protection Act. In a 
quiet but effective and reasonable manner, Roger has consistently 
sought to develop consensus wilderness proposals. From Mt. Moriah and 
the Schell Creek Range in White Pine County to Mr. Rose and High Rock 
Canyon in Washoe County, Roger's work on wilderness issues has 
benefited Nevada and our Nation. His counsel has served me well.
  Through the work of these Nevadans the number of Nevada wildernesses 
has grown from one, the Jarbidge Wilderness, to more than 40 in 40 
years. I commend them for their work on behalf of Nevada and the 
Nation.
  As President Lyndon Johnson said upon signing the Wilderness Act, 
``If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than 
contempt, we must leave them something more than the miracles of 
technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the 
beginning.''
  With stewards such as these four great Nevadans, If know that our 
Nation's great wilderness heritage will be secure for generations to 
come.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, forty years ago this month, President 
Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act, which set aside some of the 
most quintessential American landscapes in this vast country. This 
visionary law first protected about 9 million acres of public lands. 
Today, as a result of a bipartisan commitment by successive Congresses 
and Presidents, 105 million acres of land are protected in 44 States.
  California is blessed to have nearly 14 million acres permanently 
protected as wilderness for the public to enjoy and as a legacy for 
future generations. These areas include some of the most spectacular 
lands and diverse ecosystems, including forests, deserts, coastal 
mountains and grasslands.
  Americans have long recognized the need to protect our public lands 
and their vast resources. John Muir, along with U.S. presidents from 
both parties, including Teddy Roosevelt, foresaw the need for us to 
protect these precious lands, lest they be lost forever.
  Wilderness provides a place of refuge from urban pressures. Millions 
of Americans retreat to wilderness to fish, hunt, horseback ride, 
cross-country ski, hike and pursue other recreational breaks from 
everyday life.
  Wilderness protects watersheds that provide clean water to our cities 
and farms. Forests cleanse our air and provide habitat for countless 
plant and animal species, many of which are endangered. Wilderness 
provides something else that is harder to measure, solitude and peace. 
California's population of nearly 36 million will balloon to 50 million 
in the next 20 years, so space will become even more precious.
  I am pleased to cosponsor Senator Feingold's resolution honoring the 
40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. I am also pleased to be the 
author of the California Wild Heritage Act, which would protect 
approximately 2.5 million acres of public lands as wilderness. The 
areas that would be protected by this legislation include: the King 
Range on the Lost Coast in Northern California; the White Mountains in 
eastern California, home to the ancient Bristlecone Pines; and Eagle 
Peak in San Diego County, which includes the headwaters of the San 
Diego River and is home to great plant and animal diversity.
  These and many other areas deserve the protection that was envisioned 
back in 1964, when the Wilderness Act was signed into law.
  I believe that our beautiful and varied landscapes help make us the 
people that we are. Today, we look back and are thankful for those who 
worked to set aside the rich tapestry that is our wilderness heritage. 
But looking back is not enough. We must also dedicate ourselves to 
securing the irreplaceable remaining unprotected wilderness areas as 
our legacy for those who follow us.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, how much time remains on the Democratic 
side?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is 11 minutes.

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