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unparalleled access to Hells Canyon and the Snake River by motor vehicle, either by 

 land, air, or water. 



The Forest Service's draft environmental impact statement for its new HCNRA 

 Comprehensive Management Plan describes the following access: 



WATER ACCESS: The Forest Service's proposed plan would allow commercial and 

 private jet boat access to the entire river corridor 341 days out of every year. On the 

 other 24 days, jet boat access would be provided to 70 percent of the river corridor. 

 The plan would allow use levels in excess of the highest levels ever established 

 under a system that did not control or constrain use levels. 



AIR ACCESS: There are seven landing strips open to public use within the Hells 

 Canyon National Recreation Area, five of these on the Snake River. There are no 

 restrictions on commercial or private overflights in the Canyon, or on the number 

 of aircraft landings that can occur at a given time. 



LAND ACCESS: There is over 700 miles of open road in the Hells Canyon National 

 Recreation Area. This includes three roads on the Oregon side of the Canyon that 

 access points along the rim. Two roads access and run along the Idaho rim. All five 

 of these roads are suitable for sedan travel, two are paved. There are four roads that 

 access the Snake River, two on the Idaho side and two on the Oregon side. Two of 

 these, one on each side, are suitable for sedan travel. 



There is a wealth of opportunities to see Hells Canyon from river or rim without 

 ever leaving a motor vehicle. We would contend that there are very few specially 

 designated areas or nahonal treasures in America that have as much easy motor 

 vehicle access to scenic views and other attractions as the Hells Canyon National 

 Recreation Area. 



We believe that there must be a reasonable limit to motor vehicle access both to 

 protect the natural and historic attributes of Hells Canyon, and to protect the ability 

 of the Canyon to accommodate other forms of recreation. At any rate, the claim of 

 insensitivity to handicapped people is indefensible, and frankly a cheap shot. 



MYTH #7 There are few rivers open to jet boating but lots of rivers providing a 

 wilderness experience 



The jet boat lobby is consistent in pointing out that a nonmotorized experience is 

 available on many rivers where jet boat use is precluded, yet there are few rivers 

 open to jet boating. We maintain that this is not only irrelevant, it is untrue. 



In terms of relevance, the issue is the Snake Wild and Scenic River, not other 

 rivers. We are talking about management of a single, distinct, special place. If we 

 are talking about other rivers, we could bring into the equation all the rivers that 

 have been dammed, where Whitewater boating is no longer an option. We might 



Testimony of HCPC on River Managemtint 1 3 



