Archives West Finding Aid

The files of Series 1 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 World War I and World II, 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 study the Congressional activities that secured "for the American People of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness".

The bulk of the papers in this series consist 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.

The idea of preserving America's wilderness continued to escalate into a movement during the 1970s. The papers in Box 2 of this series show the growing acceptance of Wilderness areas 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. The papers also record the emerging conflicts within the bureaucratic procedures that delayed environmental decisions. Each geographic area considered for wilderness status was evaluated by various agencies based on a variety of criteria. In several instances Senator Church warns of too narrow of a view of pure wilderness or too broad of a view of management. 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."

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 St. Joe River.

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 in Idaho. 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 evolving view on dam construction 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 concerns. 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.

Folders 5 through 11 in Box 4 concern the creation of Hells Canyon Recreation Area 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. A bill was written to create a Hells Canyon wilderness area on the undeveloped portion of the Middle Snake and to protect upstream water rights and grazing practices.

This series concerns Idaho's Sawtooth Mountain Range and whether it should be preserved as a wilderness, 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 affected 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 Sawtooth Mountains are the White Cloud Peaks. This locale is similar to "The Sawtooths" and engendered similarly heated discussions about their preservation and 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 persists into the 1990s.

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, an act 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 have 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, the bill was, in Senator 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 being out of tune with the original intent of the Wilderness Act. The bill was passed in 1978.

Folders 44-46 of Box 5 and the entirety Box 6 deal with the Gospel Hump region of Idaho's Nez Perce Forest, which 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 this legislation was that resolution came from the local level and he hoped that this would be a strategy for deciding future conflicts.

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 area for abundant wildlife. The territory feeds the headwaters of the free flowing Salmon River. Its limited timber productivity made it a natural candidate for wilderness status. However, the designation did not come easily. Legislation was originally championed 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 consideration 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 and 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

Folders 18-30 in Box 9 and 1-19 in Box 10 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, as other cobalt deposits in Zaire and the Soviet Union were not an option during the Cold War. A special mining zone with a strict 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.

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. 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" so these lands could 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 Forest Service became caught between commercial and preservation interests. Adding to the confusion was the Congressional involvement in the decision making process.

By the 1970s, America's forests tangled in a cumbersome bureaucratic process. The files of Senator Church and legislative aide Fred Hutchison record that period of discord. Frank 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.

Frank Church worked for the protection of endangered species: from whales to wolves, and from salmon to eagles. He identified the necessity of maintaining 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.

Few wildlife issues have been more controversial in the Pacific Northwest than the debate on the effect of dams on migrating salmon and rainbow trout (colloquially known as "steelhead"). In the 1970s heated debates ensued over the causes of diminished salmon runs. Folders 10-12 in Box 13 and Folders 1-7 in Box 14 pertain to this controversy.

Much of Idaho's public land is grazed 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 one must "choose on the side that will promote the largest good."

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.

The miscellaneous files in this series deal with other subjects that the Interior Committee considered in the 1970s with respect to environmental issues.

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.

These two articles by Mr. Hutchison are reviews of books on environmental history.

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 26 includes the following publications:

• United States Federal Power Commission, Decision: In the Matter of Pacific Northwest Power Company, Project No. 2173 The Commission, July 23, 1957
• United States. Federal Power Commission. Opinion 311. In the Matter of Pacific Northwest Power Company, Project No. 2173 The Commission. April 11, 1958.
• High Mountain Sheep Dam and Conservation of Salmon and Steelhead Pacific Northwest Power Company, March 1959.
• Development of the Middle Snake River; High Mountain Sheep Project. rev. ed. 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.
• Brock Evans. 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.

The Allegheny National Forest and Paper Association is a conservative coalition of non-profits, hardware lumber and veneer manufacturers, and trade associations assembled to support sustainable forestry, environmental stewardship, and multiple use management of the Allegheny National Forest and other public forest lands. Fred Hutchison's company was hired as consultants for the Association.

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) is an industry organization dedicated to creating and implementing sustainable forestry guidelines. The AF&PA sought to manage forests to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs by practicing a land stewardship ethic which integrates the growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees for useful products with the conservation of soil, air and water quality, and wildlife and fish habitat, and aesthetics." Fred H. Hutchison & Co. conducted research for the AF & PA.

As a consultant for the forestry industry, FHH & Co. kept detailed files concerning the Endangered Species Act. More information about the ESA can also be found in other series of the Hutchison Papers, as the act impacted many of Mr. Hutchison's clients.

Evergreen Forest Products is a family-owned lumber manufacturing company located in Tamarack, Idaho. In 1989 they processed about 40 million board feet of sawlogs annually and employed about 85 people. Folder 34, Miscellaneous Correspondence and Administrative Notes, contains copies of communications sent to many high-ranking congressman and officials in the National Forest Service, including a draft of a letter to President Bill Clinton. The issues covered include stumpage fees and other forms of tax on small, family-owned businesses. Evergreen Forest Products used the services of Fred Hutchison and Company to interact with Congress and provide legislative research.

Family Business First is a national coalition of family-owned forest products companies and affiliated organizations formed in 1995, seeking to provide a voice for independent manufactures of lumber and related products, and also working to educate members of the Legislative and Executive branches of government. Family Business First utilized the services of Fred Hutchison and Company in their press campaigns and interactions with Congress.

The Fireboard Corporation, based in Walnut Grove, California, operates in wood products, industrial installation products, and resort operations. As of 1994, the corporation owned about 91,000 acres in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The Fireboard Corporation used Fred Hutchison and Company to assist the company with their lobbying, research and press campaigns.

The largest direct use system of geothermal energy in the United States is currently located in the city of Boise, Idaho. At the time of the authoring of this finding aid, in 2012, geothermal energy supplied energy-efficient heat to over 55 businesses in the downtown Boise area.

The Fred Hutchison Company provided consultation services and collected information about GeoProducts Corporation and Boise Geothermal Limited, as well as the City of Boise and related geothermal projects.

The Independent Forest Products Association (IFPA) was founded in 1947. Some of the services that Fred H. Hutchison & Company provided to the IFPA included preparing a variety of publications, titled "F.Y.I.," "Issue Brief," "Forest Facts," "Issues Update," "News & Views," "Rebuttal and Response," and "Setting the Record Straight."

The National Timber News was a newsletter produced by the Fred Hutchison Company in the mid-1990s.

James Purvis was a construction contractor who built the five-building Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington for the 1962 World's Fair. The project was delayed due to U.S. government-issued stop-work orders and change orders, then rushed in order to be completed in time for the World's Fair. When the U.S. General Service Administration refused to pay James Purvis for the additional labor costs, his construction business eventually failed. 19 years later, in 1980, the courts overturned the GSA decision and awarded James Purvis damages, all of which went to legal fees. In 1987, James Purvis was finally awarded compensation by allowing him to collect interest, with the funding coming through a private individual relief bill, both of which were extraordinary accomplishments. Pat Purvis was successfully represented in Washington by Fred H. Hutchison & Company.

The Quadrex Corporation hired the Fred Hutchison Company in 1994, in part, to assist in expanding its Ethanol business

The Small Business Timber Council is an organization of family-owned forest products companies in western Oregon.

Sequoia Forest Industries operated sawmills in Central California in the communities of Auberry, Dinuba, and North Folk. Fred H. Hutchison & Company was hired by Sequoia Forest Industries to lobby for their continued use of timber from land that is managed by the United States Forest Service.

As a consultant for several companies that worked in the timber industry, Fred Hutchison kept files on forest topics and the United States Forest Service.

In Fred Hutchison's second donation, which contained mostly items related to Fred H. Hutchison & Co., also included a small amount of materials related to Mr. Hutchison's time as an aid to Frank Church. This material is included in this series. See also Series 1-14.