[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 132 (Wednesday, November 17, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S11426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REPORT RELATIVE TO THE NONSUITABILITY OF THE SQUIRREL RIVER IN ALASKA 
  AS AN ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS SYSTEM--PM 97

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying 
report; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources:

To the Congress of the United States:
  I transmit herewith the enclosed study, findings, and report for the 
Squirrel River in Alaska. The report and my recommendations are 
submitted pursuant to my authority under Article II, section 3, of the 
Constitution of the United States, and consistent with section 5(a) of 
the Wild and Scenic Rivers (WSR) Act, Public Law 90-542, as amended. 
The Squirrel River suitability study was authorized by Public Law 96-
487 (Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act).
  The study conducted by the Bureau of Land Management determined that 
all 100 miles of the river are nonsuitable for inclusion in the 
National WSR System. Consistent with the study, I recommend that the 
Congress take no action to designate the river. The withdrawal provided 
by section 5(a) of the WSR Act would expire within 3 years of the date 
of this message (unless other action is taken by the Congress). 
Approximately 81,501 acres of State-selected lands would be opened to 
mineral entry although mineral potential has been assessed as very low 
and there are no past or active mining claims.
                                                      George W. Bush.  
The White House, November 17, 2004.

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