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STATEMENT OF GEORGE T. FRAMPTON, JR. , ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FISH 

 AND WILDLIFE AND PARKS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE 

 SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HOUSE 

 COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, CONCERNING AIR QUALITY IN 

 NATIONAL PARK AND WILDERNESS AREAS 



April 29, 1994 



Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to testify today concerning the 

 activities of the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service with regard to air quality in national park and 

 wilderness areas designated Class I under the Clean Air Act. 



The nation has established in law the highest standards of 

 protection for the resources and ecosystems contained in national 

 park and wilderness areas. The National Park Service Organic Act 

 of 1916 directs that we conserve "unimpaired" the natural, 

 cultural, and scenic resources in parks for the benefit of present 

 and future generations. The Wilderness Act of 1964 directs that we 

 protect and preserve wilderness resources unimpaired, in their 

 natural condition, so that they remain affected primarily by the 

 forces of nature. Collectively, these resources constitute our 

 nation's natural and cultural heritage, a priceless legacy for our 

 children, grandchildren, and all future generations. In developing 

 his agenda for national parks, Secretary Babbitt has made clear 

 that protection of these resources is our highest priority. 



One threat to this legacy is air pollution. The currents of air, 

 and the pollutants they bring, do not respect the park and 

 wilderness boundaries painstakingly drawn on maps and marked on the 

 ground. Air pollution can affect virtually all the resources set 



