[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10128]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   DEVILS POSTPILE NATIONAL MONUMENT

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
celebrating the centennial of Devils Postpile National Monument in the 
Eastern Sierra of California.
  When Devils Postpile was first surveyed in the early 20th century, it 
became apparent to geologists that its distinctive formation and 
features of the surrounding landscape provided a special window into 
the volcanic and glacial processes that shaped the Sierra Nevada as a 
whole.
  The cliff of columnar basalt that constitutes the Devils Postpile, so 
named because it looks like tall posts piled together, is one of the 
wonders of the geological world. The columns can reach heights towering 
more than 60 feet. Those on the west front are high, straight and 
clean-cut; those at its southern end stand out for their curvature.
  Shortly after the initial survey, U.S. Forest Service Engineer Walter 
Huber learned of a plan to blast portions of the Devils Postpile to 
create a dam that would flood the middle fork of the San Joaquin River 
and provide power to nearby mining operations. Mr. Huber considered the 
idea as a ``wanton destruction of scenery'' and began the effort to 
establish a monument to protect Devils Postpile along with the nearby 
Rainbow Falls, a spectacular 101-foot waterfall named for the rainbow 
that often forms in its mist.
  Support for monument designation was substantial, including a letter 
of support from the Sierra Club signed by the renowned preservationist 
John Muir. On July 6, 1911, using the authority under the Antiquities 
Act of 1906, President William Howard Taft signed the proclamation 
creating Devils Postpile National Monument.
  With the growth of the interstate highway system in the 1950s, a 
proposal for an eight-lane trans-Sierra highway connecting Fresno to 
Mammoth Lakes came forward that would have resulted in destruction to 
the landscape and the character of the monument. The effort to stop the 
highway was long and at times difficult. But, with strong opposition 
from a group of committed local residents, businessowners and packers, 
the proposal to build the trans-Sierra highway was abandoned in 1972.
  The expansion of existing wilderness areas and the designation of the 
Ansel Adams Wilderness in 1984 brought further protection of Devils 
Postpile and the surrounding peaks and valley that constitute the 
breathtaking landscape of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin Valley. I 
am pleased that in 2009 President Obama signed legislation I authored 
providing additional wilderness protection to public lands in the 
immediate area.
  Today, Devils Postpile National Monument represents the special 
qualities highlighted in the Presidential Proclamation that led to its 
creation a century ago as a place of ``scientific interest'' and 
``public enjoyment.'' Every year, tens of thousands of visitors from 
all over the world travel to the Eastern Sierra to marvel at its 
natural beauty and rich history.
  The story of the Devils Postpile National Monument's first 100 years 
is a testament to the value of preservation, scientific research, and 
recreation. I applaud the partnership between the National Park Service 
and the U.S. Forest Service which has resulted in high quality visitor 
services and the preservation of the beauty of the Middle Fork of the 
San Joaquin River.
  As the friends and staff of the Devils Postpile National Monument 
gather to celebrate this auspicious occasion, I congratulate them on 
their centennial anniversary and wish everyone a memorable 
experience.

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