48 



setting over a small part of the season. It still allows powerboat ac- 

 cess to all portals. 



The Forest Service plan attempted to accommodate all the user 

 groups, and from my perspective, it is an excellent plan. It allows 

 all of the user groups to access and enjoy a very limited resource, 

 one that we often tend to forget is also a National treasure deserv- 

 ing of a large measure of respect. 



H.R. 2568 attempts to legislate that no conflict exists in Hells 

 Canyon between the float and powerboat groups. I have spent 

 many nights in Hells Canyon over the past ten years and in the 

 deep, narrow canyon, a Jetboat passing your camp at 5:00 in the 

 morning is quite disconcerting. It is kind of like a motorcycle going 

 through your bedroom. 



To legislate that these conflicts do not exist is ludicrous. I have 

 thousands of times informed you that a conflict does in fact exist, 

 although we attempt to minimize any conflict by educating our cli- 

 ents and specifically avoiding weekends where the powerboat num- 

 bers are overwhelming. We choose not to operate on the major 

 _weekends of use in Hells Canyon by powerboats which are the 

 Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend. Memorial Day weekend. 



The argument that the Forest Service management plan is de- 

 stroying existing powerboat businesses is untrue. Everyone who op- 

 erates on a limited, permitted river who wishes to expand the busi- 

 ness beyond the permit capacity must purchase additional business 

 opportunities if he is to expand. 



The Hells Canyon commercial powerboaters want the oppor- 

 tunity to expand to always be available to them at any time. There 

 are 16 powerboat outfitters in Hells Canyon. The last published 

 data in 1993 shows the eight smallest outfitters together took a 

 total of 187 people into Hells Canyon during the regulated season. 

 That is an average of 23.3 guests per outfitter. At a generous esti- 

 mate of $100 per person, the average small powerboat outfitter 

 averaged $2,335 for the summer season. That is with a powerboat 

 and vehicle package costing between $70,000 to $150,000. 



These aren't businesses; they are very expensive hobbies. These 

 outfitters are either working on other rivers most of the time or 

 using their businesses as a tax write-off. In either case, limiting 

 their use in Hells Canyon is certainly not a case of the U.S. Forest 

 Service putting an outfitter out of business. 



I urge you to reject H.R. 2568 that repeals the fairly and intel- 

 ligently prepared the United States Forest Service management 

 plan. Thank you very much. 



[The prepared statement of George Hauptman may be found at 

 the end of hearing.] 



Mrs. Chenoweth. Thank you, Mr. Hauptman. Next Mr. Bowers. 



STATEMENT OF RICHARD J. BOWERS, CONSERVATION 

 DIRECTOR, AMERICAN WHITEWATER AFFILIATION 



Mr. Bowers. Thank you. I really appreciate it. My name is Rich- 

 ard Bowers. I am the conservation director for the American 

 Whitewater Affiliation, AWA. I would like to thank everybody who 

 hung around till the very of the testimony and I really appreciate 

 it. 



