Fred H. Hutchison Papers
MSS 124
in Boise State University, Albertsons Library, Special Collections Dept.
This collection was compiled by Fred H. Hutchison, who served in the late 1970s as Senator Frank Church's legislative assistant for environmental issues. The papers comprise his working files as a member of Church's staff in Washington, D.C., and include correspondence (both of Church and Hutchison), legislation, press releases, position papers, studies, and reference material relating to wilderness legislation, Hells Canyon, the Sawtooth Mountains, River of No Return, forest management, fish and wildlife, public lands, the Sagebrush Rebellion, and other environmental issues Hutchison was working on. Much of the collection is in photocopy form; they are copies of originals from the Senator's general office files that Hutchison copied for his own use. Many of those copies predate Hutchison's work with Senator Church; he made copies for his own working files to trace the background of issues and Church's positions over time. During his entire 24 years in the Senate, Frank Church sat on the Interior Committee and dealt with environmental issues and the management of public lands. Hutchison's files offer an historical perspective of environmental matters that the committee confronted from 1956 through 1980.
Fred H. Hutchinson was born in 1953 and grew up in Jefferson County, Idaho. He first worked for Senator Church as a college intern in 1974 and 1975 while attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In June 1975 he was hired as a staff member and worked for the Senator until Church left office in 1980. The fourteen divisions of the papers were established by Mr. Hutchison. He donated this collection to Boise State University in 1993.
Frank Church was an advocate for the protection of the environment but believed he was accountable to the people of Idaho whom he represented. Throughout his career, he sought a balance between what should be preserved and what should be utilized to make Idaho a good place to live for present and future generations. An examination of these papers provides the researcher insights to the Senator’s thinking and to the issues he faced.
Dates of collection: 1925-1980
Size of the collection: ca. 9 ft. (in 18 boxes)
Collection number: MSS 124
Processed by: Mary Carter, assisted by Erika Black, 1993
A guest column by Fred Hutchison commemorating the 25th anniversary of the creation of the River of No Return Wilderness appeared on the editorial page of the Idaho Statesman on July 23, 2005.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Series I : Wilderness, 1925-1964
Wilderness legislation
Wilderness, 1970s
Series II: Wild Rivers
Series III: Hells Canyon Region
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
Series IV: Sawtooth Region
Series V: Endangered American Wilderness Act
Gospel Hump
Series VI: River of No Return Wilderness
River of No Return Wilderness: Issues
Series VII: Forestry
Series VIII: Fish and Wildlife
Salmon and Steelhead
Series IX: Public Lands
Mining
Range Management
Series X: Sagebrush Rebellion
Series XI : Interior Committee: Issues
Series XII: Correspondence
Series XIII: Writings of Fred Hutchison
Series XIV: High Mountain Sheep Dam Proposal
SERIES I (Part One): WILDERNESS, 1956-1964
These office files consist of writings and legislation on wilderness protection. As early as 1919 there arose in the United States a desire to save "the scenic spots where nature has been allowed to remain unmarred" (Arthur Carhart, "The Vision Continues," in Wilderness, Spring 1979, p.4) Between the world wars, the Wilderness Society was established to "spread the conception that the wilderness is a valuable natural resource of the people."
In 1956, Senator Hubert Humphrey introduced the first bill for the creation of a national wilderness preservation system. After seven years and over sixty revisions the Wilderness Act of 1964 became law. Senator Church was the floor leader for the passage of the bill through the Senate. The papers in this series create a portal through which to peruse the Congressional activities that designated areas "for the American People of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness".
The bulk of the papers in the box consists of photocopies of letters to and from Senator Church leading up to the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, copied later by Fred Hutchison for his own files as legislative assistant. Articles by various individuals reflecting the vision of wilderness dating back to 1925 are also included in this box.
Box 1: Wilderness, 1925-1964
Folder 1 Legislation (1956-1964)
Folder 2 Correspondence (1956-1959)
Folder 3 Correspondence (1961)
Folder 4 Correspondence (1961)
Folder 5 Correspondence (1962)
Folder 6 Correspondence (1963)
Folder 7 Correspondence (1964)
Folder 8 Position Statements (1961-1963)
Folder 9 Articles (1925-1962)
Folder 10 Articles (1963-1977)
WILDERNESS LEGISLATION (Box 1, Folder 1)
1956 June 7 Wilderness Preservation Hubert Humphrey
1957 Jan 5 H.R. 1960
1957 Feb 11 S. 1176
1957 Feb 11 Remarks Hubert H. Humphrey and Richard L. Neuberger, The Wilderness Bill
1958 Feb Committee Print No. 2, Substitute for S. 1176
1958 Apr 15 Revised Wilderness Bill Richard L. Neuberger
1958 Jun 18 S. 4028
1959 Jan 9 H.R. 1929
1959 Feb 19 S. 1129
1959 Feb 19 S. 1123, Confidential Committee Print No. 3
1960 Jan 2 S. 3809
1961 Jan 4 S. 174
1961 Mar 28 S. 174 Amendment
1961 Mar 28 S. 174 Amendments
1961 Mar 28 S. 174 Amendment
1961 Mar 28 Congressional Record Reprint, proposed Amendments to the Wilderness Bill
1961 Mar 28 Report Minority and Separate Views
1961 Aug 24 National Wilderness Preservation System
1961 Sep 5 Congressional Record Reprint, Establishment of National Wilderness Preservation System
1961 Sep 6 S. 174
1962 Mar 1 Message from the President of the United States
1962 Oct 3 Report to accompany H.R. 776
1963 Jan 14 S. 4, Amendments
1964 Apr 10 S. 4
1964 Jul 2 H.R. 9070
1964 Jul 30 Congressional Record, National Wilderness Preservation System, Floor testimony
1964 Aug 14 Committee Print No. 34 Comparison
1964 Aug 15 S. 4 Committee Print
1964 Sep 3 Public Law 88-577
SERIES I (Part Two): WILDERNESS, 1970s
The idea to preserve America's wilderness continued to escalate into a movement during the 1970s. The papers in Box 2 of this series show the growth of acceptance for the Wilderness doctrine and also the polarization of opinions regarding the use of America's lands. These papers consist largely of photocopies from Senator Church's general office files and include correspondence, position papers, and legislation. In the midst of the emerging conflicts were the bureaucratic procedures that delayed environmental decisions. Each geographic area considered for wilderness status had to be evaluated by various agencies based on a variety of criteria. In several instances Senator Church warns of too narrow of a view of wilderness (the purity doctrine) or too broad of a view of management (Enough is Enough). He wrote, "It was not the intent of Congress that wilderness be administered in so pure a manner as to needlessly restrict public use and enjoyment" but only what was necessary to "preserve the wild character of the land."
Box 2: Wilderness, 1970s
Folder 1 Salmon Wilderness Study (1972)
Folder 2 Outfitters (1974)
Folder 3 Salmon River Breaks, Primitive Area (1974)
Folder 4 The Purity Doctrine (1975-1976)
Folder 5 Salmon National Forest, Beartrap-Dutchler Unit (1976)
Folder 6 News Clippings (1976-1978)
Folder 7 "America's Wilderness Heritage" (1977)
Folder 8 Articles (1977)
Folder 9 Correspondence (1977)
Folder 10 "Enough's Enough" (1977)
Folder 11 Interview On Wilderness (1977)
Folder 12 Natural Diversity Act (1977)
Folder 13 Public Participation and Attitudes (1977)
Folder 14 Salmon River Wilderness Proposal Cecil Andrus (1977)
Folder 15 "Wilderness in a Balanced Land Use" (1977)
Folder 16 Economics of Wilderness Perservation (1978)
Folder 17 Idaho Survey, Use of Natural Resources (1978)
Folder 18 Man, Nature and Wilderness (1978)
Folder 19 National Wilderness Registry (1978)
Folder 20 RARE II, Mineral Potential (1978)
Folder 21 Salmon River Breaks, Primitive Area (1978)
Folder 22 S. Con. Res. 65, Roadless Areas (1978)
Folder 23 "Wood and Wilderness" (1978)
Folder 24 Report 96-617, National Wilderness Preservation System (1979)
Folder 25 Correspondence (1980)
Folder 26 Grazing (1980)
Folder 27 Legislation (1980)
Senator's Church's concern with the destruction of the environment included America's rivers. He saw a need to preserve "free flowing rivers that possess unique water conservation, scenic, fish, wildlife, and outdoor recreation values of present and potential benefit to the American people." Church supported the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act along with the Wilderness Act of 1964 in order to keep a small portion of the country as our ancestors found it. The Clearwater and the Salmon rivers of Idaho were the first waterways mentioned in the initial act. Their inclusion, by the Senator, in the bill was based on a need to prohibit dam construction that would inhibit the spawning of anadromous fish from the Pacific. Later Church encouraged the inclusion of additional rivers or portions of rivers within Idaho, such as the Bruneau, Priest, and the St. Joe.
Box 2: Wild Rivers
Folder 28 Salmon River Preservation Bill (1960-1963)
Folder 29 Correspondence (1965-1966)
Folder 30 Idaho Rivers (1965)
Folder 31 S.1446 (1965-1966)
Folder 32 Senator Church's Remarks (1965-1966)
Box 3: Wild Rivers
Folder 1 Salmon River Proposal (1965)
Folder 2 Position Statements (1965)
Folder 3 News Articles (1965)
Folder 4 S.119, Report (1967)
Folder 5 Public Law 90-542 (1968)
Folder 6 Bruneau River (1976-1977)
Folder 7 Amendment Recommendations (1977)
Folder 8 Publications (1975-1978)
Folder 9 Research Abstracts (1976)
Folder 10 "Wilderness and Natural Areas" Congressional Research Service (1975)
Folder 11 "Wild and Scenic Rivers" Outdoor Recreation Action (1977)
Folder 12 "Flowing Free" River Conservation Fund (1977)
Folder 13 "Federal Protection And Preservation of Wild and Scenic Rivers is Slow and Costly”,
General Accounting Office (1978)
SERIES III (Part One): HELLS CANYON REGION
One of the earliest speeches Frank Church delivered on the Senate floor (March 7, 1957) was in support of the construction of the Hells Canyon Dam. Church stated that "water is the life-blood of our economy in Idaho". The speech summarized his support of the building of the dam for the "development of our great rivers -- a tradition that has served the people well and contributed much to the building of west." The papers in the series reflect Senator Church's envolving view on dam contruction in Hells Canyon region.
The question is continuously raised in this series as to the types of dams to be built, the size, the costs, as well as who should build them, control them, and benefit from them. During the 1960s opposition to the construction of dams increased based on environmental issues. As the country entered the 1970s, the perception of Hells Canyon began to include environmental considerations. A moratorium on dam building was proposed by Secretary of Interior Walter J. Hickel in 1969 to restrict the uses of the Snake River. Senators Church and Len B. Jordan introduced legislation in 1970 supporting such a moratorium for a ten year period to evaluate the needs of users.
Box 3: Hells Canyon Region
Folder 14 Hells Canyon (1957)
Folder 15 Dam Legislation (1957)
Folder 16 Dam Proposals (1963-1964)
Folder 17 High Mountain Sheep Dam (1964-1967)
Folder 18 Publications (1971)
Folder 19 Snake River Dam Survey (1971)
Folder 20 Legislation (1969-1971)
Folder 21 Moratorium (1968-1971)
Folder 22 Moratorium; Correspondence (1968-1972)
Folder 23 Moratorium; Packwood Legislation (1971-1973)
Box 4: Hells Canyon Region
Folder 1 Moratorium; Federal Power Commission (1971)
Folder 2 Moratorium; Organizational Correspondence, 1971-1972
Folder 3 Moratorium; State of Idaho (1971-1972)
Folder 4 News Articles (1971; 1973)
SERIES III (Part Two): HELLS CANYON
NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
The Hells Canyon Recreation Area was created to establish a balance in land, water, and recreation uses of the area. In 1973 Frank Church proposed a bill that would provide permanent protection for the Middle Snake River and the Hells Canyon area, stating that the people can no longer look at any region with tunnel vision. The bill was to create a Hells Canyon wilderness area on the undeveloped portion of the Middle Snake and to protect upstream water rights and grazing practices.
Box 4: Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
Folder 5 News Releases (1972-1973)
Folder 6 Len B. Jordan remarks (1973)
Folder 7 Correspondence (1975)
Folder 8 Public Law, 94-199 (1975)
Folder 9 Publications (1977)
Folder 10 Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (1977-1979)
Folder 11 Map
The Sawtooth mountain range of central Idaho is as remarkable and as pristine as any in America. The question posed in these files is what to do to assure it remaining so. Should it be declared a wilderness, a national park, or a national recreation area? Emotions were aroused when such considerations touched the income of miners, ranchers, and others who would be directly effected by such designations. Intense debates and arguments ensued as determination studies persisted during the 1960s and early 1970s. Evidence of management disputes are found in the photocopies of the correspondence concerning this subject.
To the east of Idaho's Sawtooths are the White Cloud Peaks. This locale is similar to the Sawtooths and engendered the same heated discussions about their use. Senator Church included both regions in his Sawtooth National Recreation Area legislation. In his speech to the Senate, Church described it as "America's Alps." The region was declared a National Recreation Area on August 22, 1972, after several compromises between conservationists and land users. However, contention over the issue of management materializes still in the 1990s.
Box 4: Sawtooth Region
Folder 12 Articles (1960)
Folder 13 Legislative Activity (1960-1963)
Folder 14 Intra-Office Activity (1963-1964)
Folder 15 Statements and Articles (1963)
Folder 16 Correspondence (1963)
Folder 17 Publications (1963; 1971-1973)
Folder 18 “In Idaho's White Clouds" (nd)
Box 4: Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Folder 19 Senator Church's Position (1969-1971)
Folder 20 Public Opinions (1970-1971)
Folder 21 H.R. 6957, Language (1971)
Folder 22 Legislative Activity (1971-1972)
Folder 23 Correspondence (1971;1976)
Box 5: Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Folder 1 Position Papers (1972)
Folder 2 News Articles (1971-1976)
Box 5: Sawtooth National Park
Folder 3 Study Report and Plan (1975)
SERIES V: ENDANGERED AMERICAN WILDERNESS ACT OF 1978
This series documents Senator Frank Church's role as a leader in the effort to pass the Endangered American Wilderness Act, 1977-1978, and Fred Hutchison's work as his legislative assistant in that effort. The original intent of the Endangered American Wilderness Bill was to target specific public lands for protection under the Wilderness Act of 1964. It was introduced at the request of the Sierra Club in response to the National Forest Management Act of 1976 that would jeopardize lands that had de facto wilderness status but no specific legislative protection. This new legislation permitted Congress to designate specific areas for wilderness status. In his discussion of the bill, Senator Church encouraged Congress to do long‑range thinking in regards to wilderness, stating that there should not be blanket decisions made for wilderness or utilization of any public lands. Often given the name Omnibus Bill, this bill was, in Church's opinion the most significant conservation measure to be acted upon during the Carter Administration. Church saw the necessity for Congressional intervention as he regarded the Forest Service's narrow perspective as not being in tune with the original intent of the Wilderness Act. The bill was passed in 1978.
Box 5: Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978
Folder 4 Background Material (1976)
Folder 5 Legislative Assistant: Notes (nd)
Folder 6 H.R. 1907 (1977)
Folder 7 S.1180 (1977)
Folder 8 Opening Statement (1977)
Folder 9 Introduction; News Releases (1977)
Folder 10 Opposition (1977)
Folder 11 Area Checklist (1977)
Folder 12 Subcommittee Hearing (1977)
Folder 13 H.R.3454 (1977)
Folder 14 H.R.3454; Section Analysis (1977)
Folder 15 H.R.3454; Amendments (1977)
Folder 16 California Golden Trout (1977)
Folder 17 Lone Peak Wilderness, Utah Proposal (1977)
Folder 18 Correspondence (1977)
Folder 19 Committee; Proxies (1977)
Folder 20 Committee Report (1977)
Folder 21 Conference; Strategy (1977)
Folder 22 Conference; Summary of Areas (1977)
Folder 23 Conference; Issues (1977)
Folder 24 Conference; Issues; Staff Recommendations (1977)
Folder 25 Conference; Issues; California Golden Trout (1977)
Folder 26 Conference; Issues; Golden Trout Compromise (1977)
Folder 27 Conference; Issues; Hunter-Fryingpan Area, Colorado (1977)
Folder 28 Conference; Issues; Kalmiopsis, Oregon (1977)
Folder 29 Conference; Issues; Welcome Creek, Montana (1977)
Folder 30 Conference; Issues; Wenaha-Tucannon, Washington/Oregon (1977)
Folder 31 Conference; Issues; Zig-Zag [Mt. Hood], Oregon (1977)
Folder 32 Conference: Issue Resolutions (1977)
Folder 33 Conference: Report to House (1977)
Folder 34 Conference: Correspondence (1977)
Folder 35 Conference Report: House Vote (1977)
Folder 36 Conference: Notes (1977)
Folder 37 Conference: Proxies (1977)
Folder 38 Senate Floor Checklist (1978)
Folder 39 Senate Vote (1978)
Folder 40 Public Law 95-237 (1978)
Folder 41 News Releases (1978)
Folder 42 "Wilderness in a Balanced Land Use Framework” (1977)
Folder 43 "Wilderness: the Challenge of Stewardship" (1977)
The Gospel Hump region of Idaho's Nez Perce Forest was desired by both environmentalists and developers for their own exclusive purposes. At the initiative of Grangeville, Idaho, civic leaders a task force composed of contending special interest groups was formed. The Natural Resources Task Force was established to resolve the stalemate at the local level. In March of 1977, a compromise plan of conservation and utilization was achieved for Frank Church to present to Congress. The path to this compromise and the compromises that followed can be found in these files. A significant folder, Maps, illustrates the many and varied boundaries that were considered for the Gospel Hump Wilderness Area. Church constantly stressed that the most significant part of the this legislation was that the thrust for resolution came from the local level and he hoped that this would be the strategy for deciding future conflicts.
Box 5: Gospel Hump
Folder 44 Nez Perce National Forest Land Use Plan (1976)
Folder 45 Nez Perce National Forest Vehicle Travel Map (1976)
Folder 46 Forest Service Regulations (1977)
Box 6: Gospel Hump
Folder 1 Correspondence (1977)
Folder 2 Intra-Office Material (1977)
Folder 3 Chronological Planning Outline (1977)
Folder 4 Conservationists' Proposal (1977)
Folder 5 Designation of Area (1977)
Folder 6 Idaho Fish and Game (1977)
Folder 7 Fisheries and Big Game Study Proposal (1977)
Folder 8 Forest Service: Boundary Concerns (1977)
Folder 9 Forest Service; Public Involvement (1977)
Folder 10 Grangeville Chamber of Commerce; Correspondence (1977)
Folder 11 Idaho Mining Association; Correspondence (1977)
Folder 12 Maps (1977)
Folder 13 Meadow Creek (1977)
Folder 14 Mill Creek Unit (1976)
Folder 15 Mill Creek and Rainy Day Appeals (1977)
Folder 16 Mining Claims (1977)
Folder 17 Resources Data (1977)
Folder 18 Off Road Vehicles (1977)
Folder 19 Snowmobiles (1977)
Folder 20 Roadless Areas (1977)
Folder 21 Water Quality, Elk and Moose Habitat (1977)
Folder 22 Wildlife Management (1977)
Folder 23 Southeast Boundary Dispute (1977)
Folder 24 Tour Information Package (1977)
Folder 25 Secretary of Agriculture Report (1977)
Folder 26 University of Idaho, Forestry College, Information (1977)
Folder 27 Newspaper Articles (1977)
Folder 28 News Releases (1977)
Folder 29 Value of Area (1977)
Folder 30 Report Language (1977)
Folder 31 Original Bill (1977)
Folder 32 Speeches (Senate) (1977)
Folder 33 S.1180 (1977)
Folder 34 Language for Amendment (1977)
Folder 35 S.1180 Amendments (1977)
Folder 36 S.2035 (1977)
Folder 37 S.2051 (1977)
Folder 38 S.2035 (1977)
Folder 39 Compromise (1977)
Folder 40 Area Report List (1977)
Folder 41 Final Analysis (1977)
Folder 42 Explanation of the Area (1977)
Folder 43 Correspondence (1978)
Folder 44 Forest Service, Activity Summary (1980)
SERIES VI (PART ONE): RIVER OF NO RETURN WILDERNESS
The Salmon River, also known as the River of No Return was perceived by Senator Church as the heart of wilderness in Idaho. Its rugged unspoiled landscape creates a protected realm for abundant wildlife. The territory furnishes the life-waters to the free flowing Salmon. Its limited timber productivity made it a natural candidate for wilderness status. The designation did not come easily, however. Legislation was originated by an Idaho grassroots organization headed by Ted Trueblood and Ernie Day. The Carter Administration, under the direction of Secretary of the Interior Cecil Andrus, proposed its own bill, as did the Forest Service. It took five major bills, numerous amendments and countless hours of mediation over a three year period for the Central Idaho Wilderness Act to become a reality.
Senator Church strived to save “the last best part of the west” and in 1984 he was honored for his work when Congress changed the name of the area to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
"Senator Church was determined to find a way to protect the magnificent resources of the area at the same time protect the effected local economics. He accomplished this task admirably and throughout demonstrated his characteristic fairness and extensive knowledge of the subject matter. [He] was truly the father of the River of No Return Wilderness."
Senator Dale Bumpers, March 1, 1984
Box 7: River of No Return Wilderness
Folder 1 Idaho Primitive Area (1975)
Folder 2 Development of Legislation (1975-1977)
Folder 3 "Can Idaho's River of No Return Wilderness be Saved?" (1977)
Folder 4 Correspondence (1977-1978)
Folder 5 Articles (1977-1978)
Folder 6 Council's Legislation, Background (1978)
Folder 7 Council's Proposed Legislation (1978)
Folder 8 Council's Bill Revisions (1978)
Folder 9 S.2494, Background (1978)
Folder 10 S.2494 (1978)
Folder 11 S.2494, Introduction (1978)
Folder 12 Forest Information (1978)
Folder 13 News Clippings (1978)
Folder 14 Correspondence (1979)
Folder 15 News Releases (1979)
Folder 16 Public Opinions (1979)
Folder 17 Organizations' Opinions (1979)
Folder 18 Photos of Environmental Damage (1979)
Folder 19 S.95, River of No Return Wilderness (1979)
Folder 20 S.95, Request for Introduction (1979)
Folder 21 S.95, Church's Introductory Statements (1979)
Folder 22 S.95, Statement of Support (1979)
Folder 23 S.96, Support for Introduction (1979)
Folder 24 S.96, Central Idaho Wilderness and Management Act (1979)
Folder 25 Forest Service, Wilderness Management (1979)
Folder 26 S.97, Presidential Statement (1978)
Folder 27 S.97, River of No Return Wilderness (1979)
Folder 28 S.97, Bill Summary (1979)
Folder 29 Comparison of Proposals, S.95, S.96, & S.97 (1979)
Folder 30 Comparison, Timber Supplies (1979)
Folder 31 Idaho State Resource Agencies Reports (1979)
Folder 32 Statesman Article, (May 20, 1979)
Folder 33 Public Hearings, Itinerary (1979)
Folder 34 Public Hearings, Salmon, Idaho (1979)
Folder 35 Public Hearings, Boise, Idaho (1979)
Folder 36 Public Hearings, Boise, Idaho Governor John Evans (1979)
Folder 37 Public Hearings, Lewiston, Idaho (1979)
Folder 38 Public Hearings, Washington, D. C. (1979)
Folder 39 Public Hearings, Washington, D. C. Testimony (1979)
Box 8: River of No Return Wilderness
Folder 1 Congressional Correspondence (1979)
Folder 2 S.2009, Drafts (1979)
Folder 3 S.2009, Drafts (1979)
Folder 4 S.2009, Final Draft (1979)
Folder 5 S.2009, River of No Return Wilderness (1979)
Folder 6 S.2009, Additional Views (1979)
Folder 7 Support Material Central Idaho Wilderness (1979)
Folder 8 S.2009, McClure Amendment (1979)
Folder 9 S.2009, Amendments (1979)
Folder 10 S.2009, House Version (1979)
Folder 11 Idaho Omnibus Wilderness Bill (1979)
Folder 12 Subcommittee Hearings (1979)
Folder 13 "What it Means for Idaho" (1979)
Folder 14 Rebuttal to Steve Symms (1979)
Folder 15 Idaho Wildlife Federation, Address (1979)
Folder 16 Ernie Day (1979)
Folder 17 Committee, Proxy Vote (1979)
Folder 18 S.2009, Report (1979)
Folder 19 S.2009, Senate Vote (1979)
Folder 20 Article for Open Space (1979)
Folder 21 H.R.5711, Central Idaho Wilderness (1979)
Folder 22 Committee, Salmon River Changes (1979)
Folder 23 Committee, Boundary Differences (1979)
Folder 24 Committee, RARE II (1979)
Folder 25 Committee Report, Components (1979)
Folder 26 Committee Findings (1979)
Folder 27 Committee Report (1980)
Box 9: River of No Return Wilderness
Folder 1 Correspondence (1979-1980)
Folder 2 Central Idaho Wilderness Act, Opposition (1979)
Folder 3 Central Idaho Wilderness Act (1980)
Folder 4 Legal Opinions (1980)
Folder 5 Idaho, Legislative Reaction (1980)
Folder 6 House Vote, Staff Memos (1980)
Folder 7 House Vote (1980)
Folder 8 Joint Conference (1980)
Folder 9 Cultural Resources Management (1980)
Folder 10 Public Opinion (1980)
Folder 11 Central Idaho Wilderness Act (1980)
Folder 12 Signing Statement (1980)
Folder 13 Map (1980)
Folder 14 News Releases (1979-1980)
Folder 15 Timber Meeting (1980)
Folder 16 History of Legislation (1980)
Folder 17 Summary (1980)
SERIES VI (PART TWO): RIVER OF NO RETURN: ISSUES
These files document specific issues and areas of contention in the debate over the creation of the River of No Return Wilderness. A major clash of interests occurred in the Clear Creek controversy which involved the mining of cobalt, a mineral necessary for the construction of the country's defense systems. Idaho has the most significant reserves in the world. Other sources were Zaire and the Soviet Union (not an option during the Cold War). A special mining zone with a restrictive management policy was created as part of the legislation. "We must reject the idea that prudent mining and wildlife management can't coexist" stated Idaho's other Senator, James McClure.
Box 9: River of No Return: Issues
Folder 18 Aircraft Landings (1979)
Folder 19 Boat Use (1978-1979)
Folder 20 Boundaries, Maps (1978)
Folder 21 Outfitters (1977)
Folder 22 Cabin Burnings (1976-1978)
Folder 23 Historic Structures (1979)
Folder 24 Mackay Bar (1979)
Folder 25 Mining Leases (1977)
Folder 26 Sulphur Creek (1979)
Folder 27 Timber Supplies, Salmon Idaho (1979)
Folder 28 Clear Creek Controversy, Map (1979)
Folder 29 Clear Creek Controversy, Cobalt Mining (1979)
Folder 30 Clear Creek Controversy, Cobalt Mining (1980)
Box 10: River of No Return Wilderness
Folder 1 Clear Creek Controversy, Cobalt Mining (Background (1979)
Folder 2 Clear Creek Controversy, Cobalt Mining Government Information (1979)
Folder 3 Clear Creek Controversy, Mining (1979)
Folder 4 Clear Creek Controversy, Environmental Concerns (1979)
Folder 5 Clear Creek Controversy, Wildlife (1979)
Folder 6 Clear Creek Controversy, Notes (1979)
Folder 7 Clear Creek Controversy, Alternative Resolutions (1979)
Folder 8 Magruder Corridor (1967)
Folder 9 Magruder Corridor (1971)
Folder 10 Magruder Corridor (1971)
Folder 11 Magruder Corridor, Selway/Bitterroot (1977)
Folder 12 Magruder Corridor, Selway/Bitterroot (1979)
Folder 13 Magruder Corridor, Maps (1979)
Folder 14 Nez Perce Forest, Environmental Concerns (1979)
Folder 15 Nez Perce Forest, Forest Industry (1979)
Folder 16 Nez Perce Forest, Wildlife Concerns (1979)
Folder 17 Roadless Areas (1979)
Folder 18 Thunder Mountain Corridor (1979)
Folder 19 Warner Planning Unit (1979)
The United States Forest Service is under the direction of the Department of Agriculture and often in rivalry with the Department of the Interior and the Interior Committee with the respect to management of America's public lands. Yet the Forest Service set the precedent in creating wilderness areas in 1924 by labeling the roadless areas of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico as a “permanent forest.” The Service, through the 1930s and 1940s, continued to designate lands as "primitive" to remain pristine. Mass mechanization of the logging industry, demands for housing timber, and increased demand for hydropower in post World War II America threatened areas with no legislative protection. The Service became caught in the middle between commercial and preservation interests. Adding to the confusion was the Congressional involvement in the decision making process.
By the 1970s, America's forests were ensnarled in a cumbersome process of bureaucracy. These files of Senator Church and legislative aide Fred Hutchison focus on that period of discord. Church emphasized that the Forest Service had three primary responsibilities: to assure the perpetuation of the forests, to plan for future forest use, and to provide for balanced usage.
Box 10: Forestry
Folder 20 University View of Forest Service (1970)
Folder 21 Idaho Forests (1972)
Folder 22 Roadless Areas; Sierra Club Law Suit (1972)
Folder 23 Exports (1973-1977)
Box 11: Forestry
Folder 1 Nez Perce Land Use (1975)
Folder 2 Nez Perce Land Use: Appendix (1975)
Folder 3 National Forest Management Act (1976)
Folder 4 Forest Practices (1976-1977)
Folder 5 Forestry (1976-1978)
Folder 6 Clearcutting (1977)
Folder 7 Economics of Forestry (1977)
Folder 8 Federal Forest Policy; Balance, Foresight, Stewardship (1977)
Folder 9 Housing Considerations (1977)
Folder 10 Timber Bidding, Forest Service Information (1977)
Folder 11 Appropriations (1977-1978)
Folder 12 Rare II (1977-1978)
Box 12: Forestry
Folder 1 Taxation Issues (1977-1978)
Folder 2 Timber Bidding Bill (1977-1978)
Folder 3 Timber Bidding Bill, Correspondence (1977-1978)
Folder 4 Forest Industry (1977-1979)
Folder 5 Forest Industry Lists (1978)
Folder 6 Herbicides (1978)
Folder 7 Rare II (1978)
Folder 8 Rare II; Committee Print (1978)
Folder 9 Road Standards (1978)
Folder 10 Timber Bidding Bill, Printed Matter (1978)
Folder 11 Timber Supply; Publications (1978)
Folder 12 Forest Policy (1978-1979)
Folder 13 Timber Supply (1978-1979)
Folder 14 National Forest Investment Fund (1978-1980)
Folder 15 Reforestation (1979)
Box 13: Forestry
Folder 1 Miscellaneous (1979-1980)
Folder 2 Resource Planning Act (1979-1980)
Folder 3 Rare II; Follow-up (1979-1981)
Folder 4 Resource Planning Act (1980)
SERIES VIII: FISH AND WILDLIFE
Frank Church worked for the protection of endangered species, from whales to wolves, from salmon to eagles. He identified the necessity to maintain a stable environment to prevent the extinction of a species. Church was instrumental in establishing a protective habitat in southwestern Idaho for birds of prey.
Box 13: Fish and Wildlife
Folder 5 Fish and Wildlife (1976-1977)
Folder 6 Birds of Prey, Reports (1977)
Folder 7 Birds of Prey, Background (1979-1980)
Folder 8 Birds of Prey, Public Opinions (1979-1980)
Folder 9 Predator Control (1980)
Few wildlife issues have been more controversial in the Pacific Northwest than the debate on the effect of dams on migrating salmon. In the 1970s heated debates ensued over the causes of diminished salmon runs.
Box 13: Salmon and Steelhead
Folder 10 Senator's Position (1961-1977)
Folder 11 "Fishing Problems on the Columbia and the Snake Rivers" (1975)
Folder 12 Agency Correspondence (1975‑1977)
Box 14: Salmon and Steelhead
Folder 1 Reports (1975)
Folder 2 Reports (1975-1978)
Folder 3 Army Corps of Engineer, Correspondence (1976-1977)
Folder 4 Legislative Flowchart (1977)
Folder 5 Articles (1975-1979)
Folder 6 Briefing Material (1979)
Folder 7 Pacific Coast (nd)
Much of Idaho's public land is grazed upon by domestic livestock. Public rangeland is important to Idaho's economy but overgrazing destroys the ecological balance necessary for rangeland preservation. In the 1970s, the Interior Committee worked to find prudent management methods for the benefit of all users. Senator Church attempted to "reconcile conflicting interests as fairly as possible" but stated that when a choice must be made between users one must "choose on the side that will promote the largest good."
Box 14: Public Lands: Mining
Folder 8 Mining (1977)
Folder 9 Phosphates (1976)
Folder 10 Zinc (1977-1978)
Folder 11 "Hard Rock Mining on Public Land" (1977)
Box 14: Public Lands: Range Managment
Folder 12 S.2555 (1975-1976)
Folder 13 Grazing Fees (1976-1979)
Folder 14 Grazing Regulations (1977)
Folder 15 "Rangeland Resources of Idaho" (1977)
Folder 16 Public Grazing Improvement Act (1977-1978)
Folder 17 H.R.10587 (1978)
Folder 18 Range Management (1978-1979)
Box 15: Public Lands: Range Managment
Folder 1 "Managing the Public Rangeland (1979)
Folder 2 Wild Horses (1971-1979)
Folder 3 Wild Horses, Publications (1977-1979)
The last major environmental battle that Frank Church waged in Congress was against the "Sagebrush Rebellion." Instead of pushing for legislative action he used his voice in Idaho and on the Senate floor to stop what opponents of the rebellion called "The Great American Land Grab." At issue was the transfer of the federal forests and rangelands to the individual states. The advocates of the Sagebrush Rebellion favored local control and increased use of these lands; opponents favored continued federal management and conservation. The battle of words between the "lock up boys" and the "give away gang" ignited in 1978 and by 1980 it had become a fiery campaign issue between Senator Church and his challenger for Idaho's seat in the U. S. Senate, Congressman Steve Symms. The facts surrounding land management issues quickly became obscured by emotion and rhetoric. Documents, letters, and position statements from both sides are found in these files.
Box 15: Sagebrush Rebellion
Folder 4 Church/Symms Campaign; Environmental Election Issues (1980)
Folder 5 Intra-Office Memorandums (1979)
Folder 6 Steve Symms (1979-1980)
Folder 7 Senatorial Support of "Rebellion" (1979-1980)
Folder 8 Non-Congressional Support of "Rebellion" (1979)
Folder 9 Opponents to the "Rebellion" (1980)
Folder 10 "Maintaining Idaho's Quality of Life"
Folder 11 "The West Against Itself, Again: A Hard Look at the Sagebrush Rebellion"
Folder 12 "Why I Won't Join the Sagebrush Rebellion"
Folder 13 Public Land Bills (1979-1980)
Folder 14 Idaho State Constitution (1973)
Folder 15 Department of Interior (1980)
Folder 16 America's Public Lands, Published Articles (1979-1980)
Folder 17 Congressional Research Service (1979-1980)
SERIES XI: INTERIOR COMMITTEE: ISSUES
The miscellaneous files in this series deal with other subjects that the Interior Committee considered in the 1970s with respect to environmental issues.
Box 16: Interior Committee: Issues
Folder 1 Alaska Lands (1979-1980)
Folder 2 Clean Water Act (1977)
Folder 3 Conservation Fund Act (1963)
Folder 4 Correspondence (1980)
Folder 5 Ernie Day (1965)
Folder 6 Lochsa River (1957)
Folder 7 National Environmental Policy Act (1969)
Folder 8 National Environmental Policy Act, Background (1973)
Folder 9 National Environmental Policy Act, H.R. 6032 (1975)
Folder 10 National Environmental Policy Act, Legislative Activity, Experts (1969)
Folder 11 National Environmental Policy Act, Testimony (1975)
Folder 12 National Parks (1938)
Folder 13 Natural Resources, 96th Congress (1978-1980)
Folder 14 "New Conservation" (1969)
Folder 15 News Releases and Reprints (1965-1980)
Folder 16 Outdoor Recreation: Snowmobiling (1976-1980)
Folder 17 Outfitters and Guides (1977)
Folder 18 Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (1980)
Folder 19 Public Land Revenues, Idaho (1957)
Folder 20 Reservoirs: Burns Creek, Idaho (1957)
Folder 21 Senatorial Campaign (1980)
The letters in this series were composed by Fred Hutchison for Senator Church. Their subjects are the environmental issues of the 1970s. Though Mr. Hutchison wrote the letters, they were edited and approved by the Senator before being sent to constituents. Also in the files are the machine produced letters (ROBOs) for mass mailings that focused on one specific topic. Again these were never sent without the final approval of the Senator.
Box 17: Correspondence
Folder 1 Environmental (1976)
Folder 2 Environmental Protection Agency (1976)
Folder 3 Forest Service (1975-1979)
Folder 4 Forest Service; Chamberlain Basin (1976)
Folder 5 Forest Service; Hells Canyon (1976)
Folder 6 Forestry (1977)
Folder 7 Hutchison's Drafts (1978-1979)
Folder 8 Mining (1977)
Folder 9 Miscellaneous (1976-1980)
Folder 10 National Park Service (1975-1976)
Folder 11 Natural Resources (1976-1977)
Folder 12 River Of No Return (1976)
Folder 13 Salmon River Breaks (1976)
Folder 14 Wilderness (1976)
Folder 15 Wilderness (1977)
Folder 16 Wilderness (1978)
Folder 17 Wilderness (1979)
Folder 18 Wilderness (1980)
Folder 19 Wilderness; Idaho Primitive Area (1979)
Folder 20 Wilderness; Idaho Primitive Area (1980)
SERIES XIII: WRITINGS OF FRED HUTCHISON
These two articles by Mr. Hutchison are reviews of books on environmental history.
Box 17: Writings of Fred Hutchison
Folder 21 The Lands No One Knows: America and the Public Domain, by T.H. Watkins and
Charles S. Watson, Jr. (1975)
Folder 22 Harvest of a Quiet Eye: The Natural World of John Burroughs, by John Burroughs and
Charles Davis (1976)
SERIES XIV: HIGH MOUNTAIN SHEEP DAM PROPOSAL
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
This series consists of briefs, decisions, and other publications regarding the unsuccessful proposal to build the "High Mountain Sheep Dam" on the middle Snake River.
Box 18: High Mountain Sheep Dam Proposal
United States. Federal Power Commission. Decision: In the Matter of Pacific Northwest Power Company, Project No. 2173. [n.p.]: The Commission. July 23, 1957.
United States. Federal Power Commission. Opinion 311. In the Matter of Pacific Northwest Power Company, Project No. 2173. [n.p.]: The Commission. April 11, 1958.
High Mountain Sheep Dam and Conservation of Salmon and Steelhead. [n.p.]: Pacific Northwest Power Company. March 1959.
Development of the Middle Snake River; High Mountain Sheep Project. rev. ed. [n.p.] Pacific Northwest Power Company. June, 1961.
United States. Federal Power Commission. Decision. Pacific Northwest Power Company Project No. 2243,; Washington Public Power Supply System, Project No. 2273. [Washington, D. C.]: The Commission. October 8, 1962.
United States of America Before the Federal Power Commission, In the Matter of Pacific Northwest Power Company Project No. 2243,; Washington Public Power Supply System, Project No. 2273. Washington, D.C.: [The Commission]. October 8, 1962.
United States. Federal Power Commission. Opinion No. 418; Pacific Northwest Power Company Project No. 2243,; Washington Public Power Supply System, Project No. 2273; Opinion and Granting License. [Washington, D. C.]: The Commission. February 5, 1964.
Evans, Brock. Brief of Sierra Club, Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs, Idaho Alpine Club, In the Matter of the Joint Application for License for Middle Snake River in the States of Oregon and Idaho by the Pacific Northwest Power Co., Project No. 2243, and the Washington Public Power Supply System, Project 2273; Proceedings on Remand from the Supreme Court of the United States. Seattle, Washington: Stern, Gayton, Neubauer & Brucker. October 1970.