[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.