121 



power boating is allowed as an exception. On other wild rivers, such as the Selway 

 and Middle Fork of the Salmon, wilderness overlies the river corridor, with the most 

 restrictive designation dominant. In Hells Canyon, by foregoing these options. Con- 

 gress made its intent clear. The corridor was excluded from wildemess because it was 

 not to be managed as wildemess. Congress intended that the river be shared by the 

 identified valid users and that the river corridor land base be managed without the 

 constraints of wildemess designation. If a wildemess experience had been intended, it 

 would be wildemess. 



During debate over the legislation that became the HCNRA Act, the Department of 

 Agriculture proposed an amendment that would have provided: 



The Secretary, in consultation with other involved State and Federal 

 agencies, is authorized to control and regulate the amoimt and type of water 

 craft use on the river. 



S. Rep. No. 94-153, supra, at 13 (emphasis added). 

 The purpose of that proposed amendment was explained by the Secretary: 



"We recommend that the Secretary, in consultation with involved State and 

 Federal agencies, be authorized to control and regulate the amount and type of 

 watercraft use on the river. At present, a number of Federal and State agencies 

 have concerns and responsibilities for controlling regulation of watercraft use. 

 We believe that it is important that the Secretary be given the authority to be a 

 focal point for the coordination of these concerns and responsibilities. We 

 would expect to exercise any restrictions on use only after careful consultation 

 with public and private groups and agencies." 

 Id., at 14-1 5. 

 Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Long testified in hearings on the proposed legis- 

 lation that the proposed amendment was to authorize the Department of Agriculture to 

 prohibit jet boats, and noted that there were "times when boating perhaps should be 

 prohibited entirely." at 103-104. Senator Church responded to that testimony unfa- 

 vorably, explaining: 



"I think you have given the present use of the river and the fact that access to 

 it for many people who go into the canyon, if not the majority, is by the river, 

 and jet boats have been found to be the preferred method of travel by a great 

 many people who have gone into the canyon. This is a matter of such 

 importance that Congress itself should decide what the guidelines would be 

 with respect to regulation of traffic on the river and that the discretion ought not 

 to be left entirely to the administrative agencies." 

 Id., at 104. 

 As a result, the amendment wasn't adopted and the HCNRA Act provided clearly 

 that both motorized and nonmotorized river craft were valid uses of the river. By 

 rejecting the amendment that would have authorized the Forest Service to regulate the 



