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<br />and water. Now this runs counter to the proposition of locking up <br />permanently huge areas and their scarce natural resources thus <br />preventing the recovery for the use and providing the essential <br />food, fiber, energy, and minerals for this generation and future <br />generations. <br /> <br />Colorado Water Congress is concerned about the magnitude the wilder- I <br />nessmovement might take. Here in Denver on October 15, Mr. William <br />J. Lucas, Regional Forester of the U. S. Forest Service, announced <br />that forty-three areas containing 1,629,500 acres of natural forest <br />lands in Colorado were placed upon a list called new study areas. <br />These new study areas are roadless. They are undeveloped. They are <br />to be analyzed for possible addition to the National Wilderness <br />Preservation system. Furthermore, Mr. Lucas announced that in the <br />future still more study areas may be selected. The 1.6 million <br />acre figure that I referred to is in addition to 595,000 acres <br />already adjacent to the existing primitive areas. That figure is <br />also in addition to existing wilderness and primitive areas in Colo- <br />rado which total approximately 831,000 acres. None of us know what <br />portion of these study areas will ultimately be designated wilderness. <br />All I am suggesting here now is that the water interests of this <br />state be alert to the trend. It is my understanding that, among <br />the many functions of the Colorado Water Conservation Board is to <br />investigate plans and activities of the federal government and of <br />other states which may affect Colorado's water and to promote con- <br />servation of water in the state in order to secure the greatest <br />utilization of such water. On this basis, the Colorado Water <br />Congress is asking for your help to assure that a program to set <br />aside areas for a single-purpose use be held at a modest level <br />consistent with the public needs. <br /> <br />Mr. Stapleton: Thank you, Val. Do any of you have any questions of <br />the executive director of the Water Congress? I would like to ask. <br />You used to have a resolution, it was the first one that used to <br />come up about the supremacy of state water law. You still have that, <br />don't you? <br /> <br />Mr. Killin: Yes, sir. As far as I know, that is still a valid <br />resolution. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Mr. Stapleton: And how do you think the action as suggested by the <br />staff would impede or enhance that resolution? <br /> <br />Mr. Killin: Our only concern, Mr. Chairman, is the magnitude asI <br />mentioned, which this movement might take. We are not opposing or <br />supporting any specific wilderness area now. We just want to be <br />alert to the fact that this could go into sizable acreages and lock <br />out on a permanent basis the use of our resources, particularly water. <br /> <br />-10- <br />