[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[November 2, 1992]
[Page 2152]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 2152]]


Statement on Signing the Arkansas-Idaho Land Exchange Act of 1992
November 2, 1992

    Today I am pleased to sign into law S. 2572, the ``Arkansas-Idaho 
Land Exchange Act of 1992.'' My approval of this bill enacts the 
Administration's proposal to benefit our Nation's wetlands through an 
equal value exchange of lands in the States of Arkansas and Idaho 
between the United States and the Potlatch Corporation.
    This exchange will add nearly 41,000 acres to the Cache River and 
White River National Wildlife Refuges. The Refuges, together with nearby 
State conservation areas, protect nearly 185,000 acres of wetlands, one 
of only ten areas in the Nation recognized internationally as a 
``Wetland of International Importance.'' The United States has only a 
handful of such large wetland conservation areas and few if any 
opportunities for establishing new ones.
    The lands to be protected as part of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System contain some of the most productive fish and wildlife habitat in 
North America. The area provides wintering habitat for a variety of 
migratory waterfowl and is home for a number of threatened or endangered 
species, including the bald eagle and the least tern.
    In exchange for this environmentally sensitive land, the Potlatch 
Corporation will receive scattered tracts of Federal land in Idaho. The 
company will then be able to use the land to create jobs and expand the 
local tax base, making money available for important local tasks, such 
as education and economic development. This transfer of land to private 
ownership is crucial in a State like Idaho where much of the land is 
federally owned.
    Protection of such wetland areas has been a high priority of my 
Administration, and enactment of this proposal clearly demonstrates our 
commitment to the environment. This Act enhances not only our 
environment, but also our economy, underscoring my strong belief that we 
can and must do both.

                                                             George Bush

The White House,
November 2, 1992.

                    Note: S. 2572, approved November 2, was assigned 
                        Public Law No. 102-584.