164 



Clearly, even the Forest Service's new river plan will provide far more 

 opportunities for jet boaters to access the river than floaters. 



Private jet boaters, on the other hand, stand an excellent chance of being able to run 

 part of the Wild section of the river whenever they wish, and all of the Wild section 

 for all but 24 days of the summer. This is due to the facts that: (a) The number of 

 launches they are allotted reflect an increase over the highest use levels ever that 

 occurred when use was unlimited, and (b) they are not limited in the number of 

 permits they may be issued in a given year. 



The following is a summary of access rules proposed in the new Forest Service plan 

 for private float and jet boat use during the summer. 



Float- One launch per person per year. Application for a permit through the 

 December-January lottery is required. Permits allow a total of three launches per day 

 on the Wild section. One launch per day is allowed in the scenic section. No extra 

 launches for weekends. 



Jet Boat- No lottery and no limit on the number of permits per person. No pre- 

 issued permit required. Six launches per day on the Wild section, 23 per day on the 

 scenic section on weekends. Eight launches per day on weekdays in the scenic 

 section. No access to 21 miles of the Wild section on Monday, Tuesday, and 

 Wednesday for eight weeks in July and August. 



Commercial float outfitters will continue to live under a slightly more restrictive 

 use cap that has limited the growth of their businesses for 18 years. Commercial jet 

 boaters, on the other hand, will continue to enjoy use levels that have escalated in 

 the absence of any use caps whatsoever. 



Jet boaters have clearly been the exception to the rule cind have enjoyed special 

 access privileges. In fact, they have enjoyed free run of the river while floaters have 

 been strictly regulated. Even under the Forest Service proposed plan, which H.R. 

 2568 would void due to its alleged unfairness to jet boaters, floaters would live with 

 exponentially fewer opportunities to run the river than jet boaters. 



MYTH #6: Establishing nonmotorized areas in Hells Canyon discriminates against 

 physically challenged people 



It could be said that any restrictions on roadbuilding, or establishment of areas 

 where motor vehicles or mechanized transport are prohibited constitutes 

 discrimination against disabled or handicapped persons. 



We frankly believe that many physically challenged and elderly people are offended 

 by this characterization because often times they are simply being exploited for 

 someone else's self-interest. Hells Canyon provides a case in point, where this 

 characterization is false for one simple reason: There is abundant, almost 



Testimony of HCPC on River Management 1 2 



