[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14362-14363]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             UPPER WHITE SALMON WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT

  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 38) to designate a portion of the White Salmon River as a 
component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 38

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Upper White Salmon Wild and 
     Scenic Rivers Act''.

     SEC. 2. UPPER WHITE SALMON WILD AND SCENIC RIVER.

       Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1274(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``( ) White Salmon River, Washington.--The 20 miles of 
     river segments of the main stem of the White Salmon River and 
     Cascade Creek, Washington, to be administered by the 
     Secretary of Agriculture in the following classifications:
       ``(A) The approximately 1.6-mile segment of the main stem 
     of the White Salmon River from the headwaters on Mount Adams 
     in section 17, township 8 north, range 10 east, downstream to 
     the Mount Adams Wilderness boundary as a wild river.
       ``(B) The approximately 5.1-mile segment of Cascade Creek 
     from its headwaters on Mount Adams in section 10, township 8 
     north, range 10 east, downstream to the Mount Adams 
     Wilderness boundary as a wild river.
       ``(C) The approximately 1.5-mile segment of Cascade Creek 
     from the Mount Adams Wilderness boundary downstream to its 
     confluence with the White Salmon River as a scenic river.
       ``(D) The approximately 11.8-mile segment of the main stem 
     of the White Salmon River from the Mount Adams Wilderness 
     boundary downstream to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest 
     boundary as a scenic river.''.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Mexico (Mr. Pearce) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).


                             General Leave

  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 38.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 38, as introduced by the gentleman from Washington 
(Mr. Baird), would designate 20 miles of the Upper White Salmon River 
as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers system.
  This legislation would designate four different segments of the Upper 
White Salmon River and Cascade Creek, totaling 20 miles, as ``wild and 
scenic.'' The segments are limited to Federal land, located in the 
Gifford Pinchot National Forest, and include 6.7 miles in the Mt. Adams 
Wilderness.
  This designation is supported by the local community as well as the 
Forest Service. I urge support for this important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 38 designates the main stem of the Upper White 
Salmon River and Cascade Creek, totaling 20 miles, as a component of 
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Congress added the lower 
White Salmon River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 
1986.
  The White Salmon River originates in the glaciers of Mt. Adams and 
flows through south central Washington to the Columbia River. The river 
is known for its remarkable scenery and abundant wildlife and is 
popular with white water enthusiasts.
  The gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) should be recognized for 
his leadership on H.R. 38. My good friend, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Baird), is one of our strong conservation leaders in 
the Northwest and has worked very hard in showing strong leadership in 
getting this bill to the point that it is today.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Baird), the sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. 
Pearce) and my other colleague, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. 
Udall).
  I want to begin by thanking the gentleman from California (Chairman 
Pombo); the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rahall) of the Committee on Resources; the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. 
Walden); and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall), the ranking 
member of the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, for their 
guidance. And I certainly appreciate the help of their staff throughout 
this process.
  I also want to acknowledge the work of my good friend and colleague, 
Senator Cantwell, who has introduced the companion legislation in that 
Chamber.
  A number of people locally in our region deserve credit, including 
among them Phyllis Clausen of the Friends of the White Salmon River, 
Connie Kelleher from American Rivers, the SDS Lumber Company, the U.S. 
Forest Service, and local county commissioners from the region as well. 
This process has taken several years and represents a true 
collaborative local effort.
  The Upper White Salmon River is literally a world-famous river. 
Located in south central Washington, it is known for its great white 
water, stunning scenery, and fish and wildlife resources. The 
designation before us today will preserve the river's free-flowing 
status as well as the natural values and rural lifestyle in the 
surrounding area.
  In 1986, the river's outstanding quality received national 
recognition when Congress designated the lower 8 miles of the White 
Salmon as a National Wild and Scenic River. Congress directed the 
Forest Service to study the Upper

[[Page 14363]]

White Salmon for possible designation into the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
System.
  H.R. 38 seeks to protect 20 miles of Upper White Salmon River 
segments within the Gifford Pinchot Forest as part of the National Wild 
and Scenic Rivers System by designating them wild and scenic. This 
designation has broad public support within the local community and 
throughout the region. It has been endorsed by a wide variety of 
environmental and recreational organizations, local community and 
business leaders.
  The land to be designated as wild and scenic consists entirely of 
public land, no private land is included; the area is currently being 
managed as if it is already part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
  I want to reiterate my gratitude to the gentleman from New Mexico 
(Mr. Udall) and the chairman of the overall committee. I thank Members 
for their support and urge passage of this valuable piece of 
legislation.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the 
entire Committee on Resources staff and especially Meghan Conklin for 
her work on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I would recognize the staff of both the 
majority and minority and also congratulate the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Baird) on not only his performance in submitting this 
bill but his stellar performance in the congressional baseball game 
last Thursday night.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the Upper 
White Salmon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, H.R. 38, passed the House by a 
voice vote. I want to make clear where I stand on this issue.
  The White Salmon River begins in the Cascade Mountains, fed by 
snowmelt from nearby Mt. Adams and the rains for which Western 
Washington is famous. The river makes its way south, winding through 
Skamania and Klickitat counties, until it meets the Columbia River in 
the heart of the Columbia River Gorge.
  The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act made much of the 
lower river part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers program. At the 
same time, it directed the Forest Service to study the suitability of 
the upper river for designation as well. The legislation passed this 
week adds 20 miles of the Upper White Salmon River and Cascade Creek to 
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers program. This portion of the river 
is entirely within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and outside of 
the Fourth District of Washington, which I represent.
  While I did not oppose the legislation the House passed earlier this 
week, I do want to make clear that I would have considerable concerns 
with any proposal to declare as Wild and Scenic any currently 
undesignated portions of the White Salmon River that flows through the 
district that I represent. The views of local county commissioners, 
elected officials and affected landowners would be of paramount 
interest to me should any such designation be suggested or proposed. 
This portion of the river does not run through Federal land, but 
through private property of economic importance to the landowners and 
local communities. The burden of Federal regulation is already very 
heavy on the area, and I have great reservations about actions that 
would make the load even more difficult to bear.
  We have an obligation to protect the natural treasures of the 
Columbia Gorge while also protecting the livelihoods of those that make 
their homes there. I look forward to continuing to work closely with my 
colleagues from the Northwest to make sure we strike the right balance 
on such matters.
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 38, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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