100 



the limit was "0", those who represent the minority would object. 

 It is plain for all to see that their goal is to eliminate all 

 who do not fit into their approved definition of "legitimate 

 river user." 



In 1993, 1 became more personally involved in the politics 

 of river access in Hells Canyon. The power boat advocates were 

 planning to form an alliance to bring a wide range of river users 

 together to create a compromise alternative that each could 

 endorse. Because of ray association with the River Access For 

 Tomorrow group, I was invited to attend the meeting in McCall, 

 Idaho. Tim Rivers, another R.A.F.T. member, and I attended that 

 meeting and had input, on behalf of R.A.F.T., to the proposal 

 that resulted from that meeting. The results of that meeting can 

 be found in exhibit #9, attached. 



1 was informed that I could invite anyone else to join Hells 

 Canyon Alliance, who might be interested in working together as a 

 group in order to reach some sort of workable compromise plan for 

 Hells Canyon. On Nov. 8, 1993, I sent a letter to every 

 organization and individual listed as a commercial outfitter and 

 guide for 1992 by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in the 

 Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, (exhibits #10 & 11). This 

 letter invited comment from each of those listed and invited each 

 to join the Hells Canyon Alliance to work toward a peaceful 

 solution, backed by the widest possible spectrum of river users. 

 Most of those invited ignored the opportunity to join in unity to 

 work out any differences of opinion. They did not show any 

 interest in working together, with others, to reach a workable 

 compromi se . 



In frustration, I called a few of the outfitters who did not 

 respond to my letter of invitation. The response from the wife, 

 and, I assume, part owner of one float business, will never 

 escape my memory: "You have to understand my position; it's 

 purely business. If we can eliminate powerboats from the river, 

 I can double my fees and still increase my clientele by selling a 

 wilderness experience.", (exhibit #12). Just a few weeks later, 

 this womans ' husband was interviewed by a television news crew 

 and could talk about nothing but protecting the environnent in 

 Hells Canyon by eliminating power boat traffic. 



Some of those who ignored this invitation are now joined in 

 unity with each other to eliminate jet boat use in Hells Canyon. 

 Many are claiming that the Alliance is nothing more than a 

 lobbying arm of the jet boat industry. If this accusation were 

 true, which it is not, it would not have been possible if those 

 who were invited to have input, and refused, would have been 

 willing to compromise. As I stated before, the goal of those who 

 are opposed to this legislation is not to regulate jet boat usage 

 in Hells Canyon, but to totally eliminate it. These self- 

 ano i nted-e 1 i t i s t s are not interested in compromise or shared use, 

 they demand exclusive use and have made up their minds to accept 

 nothing less. Most of those in opposition are commercially 

 connected to the canyon but are trying to convince others that 

 their interests are purely environmental in nature. 



The divisiveness of those who want to eliminate all 

 motorized use in Hells Canyon is apparent in the fact that they 



