A wild and scenic designation of the Snake and tributaries would do nothing to harm existing uses in the Snake River watershed. That fact was affirmed by top-ranking officials from the Bush administration's Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture during a U.S. Senate Energy Subcommittee hearing in May.Closer to home, Kniffy Hamilton, supervisor of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, issued an official letter stating that these rivers would be managed in the future exactly as they are today, and that multiple-uses, including grazing, "would not be reduced or eliminated as the result of river designation."

This designation does not affect water rights held by anyone, anywhere. Mr. Urbigkit was misinformed to assert, as did U.S. Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, that this designation would "mess with" Idaho's water. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Sen. Craig's home state stated unequivocally that water rights are not affected by this legislation. In addition, distinguished water rights attorney Bill Horn, a chief water rights official for President Reagan, has issued a detailed legal opinion stating that water rights are unaffected and that Sen. Craig's concerns are "misplaced." For his part, Sen. Larry Craig just last month voted in the Senate to designate nine Oregon rivers as wild and scenic. If water rights or uses were affected by these designations, I doubt very much that Idaho would have nearly 600 miles of wild and scenic rivers of its own. Yet that is the case, and businesses in Idaho -- and the Idaho economy -- are profiting handsomely because of their wild and scenic rivers.

There are more than 11,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers in the nation, yet Wyoming has only 20 miles. Wild and scenic river designations benefit the states that host them, and Wyoming businesses need this designation to catch up. U.S. Sen. Barrasso should be applauded for his strong statements of support for this bill. Finally, Mr. Urbigkit should know that the decision to not include any rivers in Sublette County was made by Sen. Thomas months ago.

TOM PATRICELLI, Jackson

Executive director, Campaign for the Snake Headwaters