    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [October 21, 1999]
    [Page 1843]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and
    Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area Act of 1999
    October 21, 1999

        I am pleased today to sign into law S. 323, which creates the Black
    Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado as America's 55th
    national park.
        The Black Canyon, carved over eons by the unyielding waters of the
    Gunnison River, is a true natural treasure. Its nearly vertical walls,
    rising half a mile high, harbor one of the most spectacular stretches of
    wild river in America. No other canyon in North America combines the
    remarkable depth, narrowness, and sheerness of the Black Canyon of the
    Gunnison.
        This bipartisan bill demonstrates once again that preserving our
    environment for future generations is a cause that transcends party
    lines. In that spirit, I urge Congress to fully fund my lands legacy
    initiative this year and to work with me to secure permanent funding to
    continue these efforts well into the 21st century. Together, we can
    ensure that other treasures like the Black Canyon are preserved for all
    time.