231 



Testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands. National Parks 



and Forests 



Lenard Smith. Lincoln County. Nevada Commissioner 



Page 4 



not have a large percentage of their homes, schoolrooms and places of business eitpty. 

 Iheir children don't have to move away to find a job. 



A job is, of cxjurse an essential part of our existence. I don't know ho^^^ to 

 measure its worth in dollars and cents, but to a family it is of great worth. 



I can only tell ycu that from the standpoint of local' government it means less 

 welfare ^^ indigent and law enforoement probleans. It means a healthy society - and 

 thats v^iat I believe we all atre strivirg for. 



ENVIRONMENT, HUMANS AND REALITY 



The planet ue live on is being encroached by humans. Some 

 people question and actively object to this fact of life. Rights of 

 humans are questioned. Rights of lower forms of life are held on a 

 pedestal and in many ways are revered in an almost fanatical frenzy. 

 The frenzy causes emotionalism and turmoil and pits one way of thought 

 against the other. The fact is that the two should work together to 

 complement each other. 



Bjman life is precicus - if it wasn't, why do we spend so mxii en medical care 

 - even for those v4io can't pay for it? Humans are the hi<^iest fonn of life created on 

 this earth and it was meant for them to rule over the earth and everything in it. 

 Rule doesn't mean devastate or desLiu y . We believe that progress can be an orderly 

 developnent process in fUll harmmiy with the sensitive environment around us. Vfe 

 believe that the serious mig taV^g to our environment are b^ilnd us. Vfe new have the 

 expertise, technical ability and laws to back this up. There is no need to stop 

 critical progress because of those v*io cast aspersiars, unrest, distrust or 

 misrqjresentaticns. We wonder about mjch ctf the motivation for this and can only 

 suspect opportunities for personal gain. It goes beyond sound judgement and 

 resonableness . 



