ditional acres, and the bill does not address how long RARE II lands can be managed as wilderness or other wilderness questions equally important in some states. There are a great many witnesses here today. In the interests of time I must insist that witnesses keep their oral statements to not more than 5 minutes. The entire written statements of witnesses will be included in the official hearing record. Senator Jackson? [The texts of S. 2801, H.R. 6542, and the GAO summary follow:] these bills do and do not do. I suspect that many people know this legislation blocks oil and gas leasing and development in wilderness, but they may not be aware that these bills do more than that. They withdraw an additional 15 million acres which Congress has not designated as wilderness although it may or may not in the future. These bills also withdraw all future wilderness areas which at this point in time is an unknown quantity. I have also read that this legislation does not affect BLM lands, and that is incorrect. These bills withdraw existing BLM wilderness which amounts to about 12,000 acres, and withdraws any future BLM wilderness areas which Congress may designate. At this time there are 47 known leases in existing wilderness areas. Most of these leases were let under past administrations. Some have been let under this one. Many lease applications are pending on existing wilderness areas, and I am inserting a list of existing leases in wilderness and the dates upon which they were issued into the hearing record. care The issue of oil and gas leasing in wilderness areas has become an emotional one, but that does not excuse us from taking ful, objective look at the bills before us today, and their impact. Strong public opposition has been voiced to oil rigs in the wilderness. I personally oppose oil and gas leasing and development in wilderness areas, and with others have urged both the oil industry and this administration not to press for development in wilderness areas. Now I was pleased when Secretary Watt agreed not to issue any leases throughout this session of Congress so we would have a chance to review the issue. I believe, like others, that the areas which make up our national wilderness preservation system are some of America's most beautiful and wonderous areas and have been set aside to preserve their pristine condition and they should remain that way barring urgent national need, so while I agree with the provisions of the bill affecting wilderness, I must express my concern about the additional nonwilderness withdrawal. I would hope that we can get some discussion about the cumulative impact of this bill on our Nation's present and potential energy needs. GAO has estimated that out of 410 million acres controlled by the Federal Government in the lower 48 States, approximately 64 million acres are now closed to oil and gas leasing. Wilderness programs of the Forest Service could close at a minimum an additional 33 million acres to new mineral development after 1983. GAO estimates that as much as 55 percent of these withdrawn lands have some likelihood of oil and gas, and it recommended in a February 1981 report, that the Nation's need for more oil and gas development from Federal lands will not be met unless Federal agencies act to make more lands now closed to leasing available for oil and gas development. I will insert a summary of that report in the hearing record. In addition, this bill does nothing to resolve the management limbo arising from the Forest Service's RARE II recommendations. As a result of RARE II, many forestlands remain subject to lawsuits which could block responsible development on millions of ad ditional acres, and the bill does not address how long RARE II lands can be managed as wilderness or other wilderness questions equally important in some states. There are a great many witnesses here today. In the interests of time I must insist that witnesses keep their oral statements to not more than 5 minutes. The entire written statements of witnesses will be included in the official hearing record. Senator Jackson? [The texts of S. 2801, H.R. 6542, and the GAO summary follow:] To withdraw certain lands from mineral leasing, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AUGUST 3 (legislative day, JULY 12), 1982 Mr. JACKSON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To withdraw certain lands from mineral leasing, and for other 1 purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa 2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 4 SHORT TITLE SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Wilderness 5 Protection Act of 1982". 6 7 WITHDRAWALS SEC. 2. Except as specifically provided in this Act, not 8 withstanding any other provision of law— 9 10 11 (a) lands designated by Congress as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System are hereby withdrawn from disposition under all laws per 2 taining to oil, gas, oil shale, coal, phosphate, potassium, sulphur, gilsonite, and geothermal leasing, and all amendments thereto; (b) lands within the national forest system which have been recommended for designation as wilderness in Executive Communication 1504, Ninety-sixth Congress (House Document Numbered 96-119) are hereby withdrawn from disposition under all laws pertaining to oil, gas, oil shale, coal, phosphate, potassium, sulphur, gilsonite, and geothermal leasing, and all amendments thereto, until Congress determines otherwise or until a revision of the initial plans required by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 is implemented recommending the land concerned for other than wilderness designation, whichever comes first; (c) wilderness study areas designated by act of Congress are hereby withdrawn from disposition under all laws pertaining to oil, gas, oil shale, coal, phosphate, potassium, sulphur, gilsonite, and geothermal leasing, and all amendments thereto for the period of interim wilderness protection and management of such wilderness study areas contained in the act of Congress designating such wilderness study areas; S 2801 IS |