PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT FOR NATIONAL POLICY ON USE OF ANCHORS FOR CLIMBING IN NATIONAL

                                                 Release No. 0337.98 
                         Media Contact:  Roger Salazar (202) 720-4623
                                               roger.salazar@usda.gov
                            Public Contact:  Alan Polk (202) 205-1134
                                                  apolk/wo@fs.fed.us 


PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT FOR NATIONAL POLICY ON USE OF ANCHORS FOR CLIMBING IN NATIONAL
FOREST WILDERNESS 

      SALT LAKE CITY, August 14, 1998 --  U.S. Department of Agriculture Under
Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Jim Lyons announced today that he is
instructing USDA's Forest Service to initiate a negotiated rulemaking to clarify
national policy about permanent fixed anchors for rock climbing in National Forest
wilderness areas.  This announcement means that fixed anchors will be allowed in
most wilderness areas during the rulemaking process.   

     "Congress is considering legislation to rescind the policy set by Forest
Service Chief Dombeck to prohibit the use of permanent anchors in wilderness," 
Lyons said during a press conference here today.  "To ensure integrity of the
Wilderness Act, the Forest Service will immediately initiate a public process to
resolve any misunderstanding about the use of fixed anchors in National Forest
wilderness areas."

     "The real issue here is not the use or type of rock climbing equipment in
wilderness areas," he said. "Instead, it is to ensure that the public has the
opportunity to be involved in the decision making process through interested
stakeholders joining with the Forest Service to clarify the issue.  The intent of
this decision is to avoid unnecessary lawsuits and inadvertent actions by Congress
that would weaken the existing Wilderness Act."

     Today's announcement clarifies decisions made earlier this year regarding the
use of fixed anchors in Congressionally designated wilderness areas managed by the
Forest Service.  Lyons reiterated that the Dombeck's decision to ban the use of
permanent fixed anchors on the Sawtooth Wilderness in Idaho will remain intact until
the rulemaking process is completed. 

     "We will implement the under secretary's direction without delay," said
Dombeck.

     Lyons' decision  means that metal bolts that are drilled into rock to support
climbing hardware, whether camouflaged or not, will remain legal in National Forest
wilderness areas, except for the Sawtooth Wilderness, for up to one year pending the
issuance of a final policy.  Pitons that are left in rocks may be used, as will
slings or ropes left permanently wrapped around trees or rocks.  The original
decision does not affect the use of a wide variety of commonly-used cams, nuts and
other temporary devices that have minimal impact.

     It is estimated that about 40 wilderness areas (10 percent of wilderness areas
managed by the Forest Service) have major rock climbing opportunities that could
eventually be affected by the negotiated rulemaking process.  The Forest Service
manages 412 units of the nation's Congressionally designated wilderness system, in
38 states, and includes 34.7 million acres.
                                  
                                  
                                  
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