22 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. So the question then that Mr. DeFazio 

 raised is one of interest to me. I assume that when you made your 

 risk assessment analysis of New Zealand and Chile that you deter- 

 mined that there was not a problem from that point of view, but 

 I assume that you placed heat treatment as an additional protec- 

 tion; is that correct, or is it not correct? 



Ms. LORIMER. Yes, the heat treatment Mr. DeFazio was referring 

 to that would take place on our shores is the kiln drying of the 

 lumber after it is prepared and also burning the sawdust. It is not 

 the same as the heat treatment that is required for Siberian logs, 

 which is to actually take the whole log and heat it to a certain tem- 

 perature for a certain period of time. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. So you would prescribe that type of heat 

 treatment anyway? 



Ms. LORIMER. Yes. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. So, then, I guess the question is, and I 

 have talked to the Ambassador from New Zealand, who is very 

 proud of the fact that they are controlling pests in New Zealand 

 and they do not want to export pests, because they would lose their 

 markets, have you identified any results of any of the, in the 12 

 loads, 12 shipments, have you found after the treatment here and 

 in New Zealand or Chile any kind of insects that live through that 

 process? 



Mr. Rains. No, nothing. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. None. Absolutely none. So in the risk as- 

 sessment question, you are ready to testify that those 12 shipments 

 as they were treated caused no danger whatsoever as far as invit- 

 ing pests into this country? 



Mr. Lee. Yes, I would submit, Mr. Smith, that is the case. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. All right. So it is your job to really analyze 

 around the world, and I assume you treat every country differently, 

 obviously, because you have sent teams to every country. If you 

 have the request from a new country to import logs, you would 

 have to first apply a risk assessment to that country, I assume; is 

 that correct? 



Mr. Rains. Yes, that is correct. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. So you would have to go to that country. 

 In effect go there, follow the process that you have identified to 

 identify in that country what would be the possible dangers, kinds 

 of importation of insects? 



Mr. Rains. Just like with Chile, New Zealand, and Siberia. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. What other countries do we get imports 

 from that you have risk assessment analogies on? 



Ms. LORIMER. Those are the only three. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. That is including Siberia; is that right? Si- 

 beria, Chile and New Zealand; is that correct? 



Ms. LORIMER. Those are the only three to date, yes. 



Mr. Smith of Oregon. All right. I assume, then, that what we are 

 going to do here is listen to entomologists from both sides of this 

 issue and try to figure out who is right and who is wrong and I 

 am not sure I am a great enough judge to handle that, Mr. Chair- 

 man, but we will listen. Thank 



you. 



Mr. Rose. Mr. Kingston. 



