205 



I urge that this Committee look favorably upon this legislation. 



Senator Hecht. Thank you 



Mr. BiLBRAY. Mr. Chairman, if I may jump to the other bill, I 

 hate to do that, but I understand you are taking testimony on S. 59 

 also today. Is that correct? 



Senator Hecht. Yes. 



Mr. BiLBRAY. Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to 

 present testimony on S. 59, the National Forest and Public Lands 

 of Nevada Enhancement Act of 1987. 



I strongly support the legislation in question. 



Several years ago, the Reagan Administration proposed a plan 

 involving over 35 million acres of public lands. Under this proposal, 

 large tracts of land under the control and management of the 

 Forest Service would be transferred to the control and manage- 

 ment of the Bureau of Land Management. The impact of this pro- 

 posal upon Nevada would have resulted in the virtual elimination 

 of National Forests within our area. 



In response, Nevadans numbering in the thousands opposed the 

 declassification. Joining in a concert of efforts, a broad-based coali- 

 tion of conservationists, wilderness advocates, miners, ranchers, 

 and others worked toward increasing the size of the National For- 

 ests in Nevada. In addition, each of the four largest Nevada news- 

 papers has joined in endorsing enhanced National Forest Service 

 Lands for Nevada. 



As a result of careful negotiations between the National Forest 

 Task Force of Nevada, the entire Nevada Congressional delegation, 

 the Chief of the United States Forest Services, representatives of 

 the Governor of Nevada and the Director of the Bureau of Land 

 Management, legislation was introduced in the 99th Congress, 

 which would have increased the size of the National Forests in 

 Nevada. 



As you may recall, Mr. Chairman, this legislation passed the 

 House but failed to come to a vote in the Senate before adjourn- 

 ment. 



The legislation introduced at that time would substantially ease 

 the administrative burden of managing the lands, while simulta- 

 neously improving the administrative capacities of both the United 

 States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. In par- 

 ticular, the legislation would enhance the management of our land 

 resources, including sensitive watershed areas, wildlife habitat, 

 grazing resources, mineral resources, and increasingly valuable rec- 

 reational opportunities. 



The measure before this Subcommittee today is essentially the 

 same as introduced during the last Congress. S. 59 provides over 

 500,000 acres of BLM land that would be added to the Toiyabe and 

 Humboldt National Forests. These lands would be contiguous to 

 the present Toiyabe and Humboldt National Forest holdings and 

 are of the same character. 



I serve as co-sponsor of the companion House measure, H.R. 267. 



In this capacity, as co-sponsor of the companion House measure, 

 I would like to focus attention to differences which occur between 

 the measure as introduced in the 99th Congress and the measure 

 before the Subcommittee today. 



