Central Idaho Wilderness Act of 1980 Statement on Signing S. 2000 Into Law.

I am today signing the Central Idaho Wilderness Act of 1980. This act is important as a major expansion of the National Wilderness Preservation System for Idaho and the Nation. It creates the largest single wilderness in the lower 48 States—the River of No Return Wilderness. I recall vividly my trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the middle of this huge and primitive heartland of Idaho. I hope it will be the first of several major wilderness enactments by the 96th Congress.

Shortly after entering office, in my May 1977 environmental message to the Congress, I urged prompt expansion of the National Wilderness Preservation System. On February 24, 1978, I had the privilege of signing the Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978, which added about 1.3 million acres in 10 western States to the National Wilderness Preservation System. That was the largest single addition to the wilderness areas of this country since the original enactment of the Wilderness Act in 1964. On October 21, 1978, I again had the privilege of signing into law the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act, which expanded and perfected that area's designation. In addition, I have approved other legislation which added about 3.4 million acres to the Wilderness System. Thus, prior to the Central Idaho Wilderness Act, a total of 4.7 million acres has been added to the Wilderness System in the last 3 years.

On May 2, 1979, as a result of the roadless area review and evaluation, I recommended to the Congress wilderness designations for an additional 15.4 million acres of roadless areas on the National Forest System lands, consisting of 5.5 million acres in Alaska and 9.9 million acres in 35 other States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

The Central Idaho Wilderness Act will add more than 2.3 million acres to the Wilderness System and will designate 125 miles of the Salmon River in Idaho as a Wild and Scenic River. This wilderness designation brings the total acreage in the National Wilderness Preservation System to 21.4 million acres, an increase of about 48 percent during this administration. I want to express especially my appreciation to the Members of Congress, their staff, and those in the administration for their untiring efforts in working out the many details of the legislation.

We are a privileged nation to have the opportunity to protect the primitive lands and natural resources represented in this act and in all of the other areas included in my May 2, 1979, recommendations. In preserving these lands we protect irreplaceable parts of our national heritage that will be enjoyed by the American people and generations to come.

I look forward with anticipation to the completion by the Congress of other acts providing wilderness designation. In particular, I urge Congress to complete action on the Alaska lands legislation. This will add areas of major national significance to the National Park, National Wildlife Refuge, National Forest, and National Wilderness Preservation Systems.