For Release for September 18, 1998

SECRETARY BABBITT TO SPEAK AT GATEWAY COMMUNITY CONFERENCE

Representatives of 10 States Will Meet

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt will address civic and community leaders as well as tourism, tribal and business representatives at the "Beyond the Boundaries: Building Gateway Partnerships for the 21st Century," conference on Sept. 23-25, 1998, at the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel in Tacoma, Wash.

The conference, co-sponsored by the Western States Tourism Policy Council and nine federal agencies, will focus on those communities which serve as "gateways" to the national parks and forests, tribal, and other federal public lands.

"This conference is a good opportunity to talk to gateway representatives from around the West," said Babbitt, who will speak on Sept. 24. His speech, titled "In Praise of Partnerships," features outstanding examples of gateway/public land and tribal/public land collaboration. "We want to help these communities preserve their scenic and historic qualities while they also create sustainable growth based on tourism. We also want them to help us with public land stewardship."

"Our gateway communities are faced with the responsibility of maintaining positive economic growth while preserving the variety of scenic and recreational attractions that make them appealing to visitors," said John Poimiroo, chair of the Western States Tourism Policy Council and deputy secretary of the California Trade and Commerce Agency.

"The three-day conference is designed to provide gateway communities with leadership training, current information, and practical know-how. There is a fine balance between tourism's economic benefits and impacts from increased numbers of people. This conference will give all concerned an opportunity to work much more closely with each other," said Poimiroo.

The Western States Tourism Policy Council is a consortium of government tourism offices from 10 western states. Federal representation is expected from the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Highway Administration, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Park Service.

Nearly 400 gateway and governmental representatives are expected to attend. Participants will hear from experts in their fields on such topics as Techno Yuppies with Portable Computers: New Riders on the Purple Sage, Sustainable Development in Native American Communities, Show Me the Money (And Other Resources) and more.

-DOI-

  U.S. Department of the Interior