12 



again took that biological and scientific information and promul- 

 gated regulations based on the risk identified there. 



It was thought that these other mitigation techniques outside of 

 heat treatment were adequate to deal with the risks identified in 

 the assessments. 



Mr. Rose. What are the other treatments? Heat treatment is you 

 heat the logs in some kind of vessel. 



Ms. LORIMER. Correct, to a certain temperature for a certain pe- 

 riod of time. 



Mr. Rose. Like in the wood preserving process. 



Ms. LORIMER. Right. Or kiln drying or something of that sort. 

 Then there are all sorts of other regulations. 



Mr. Rose. I don't want to know about the regulations but the 

 process. 



Ms. LORIMER. The mitigation process, yes, sir. 



Mr. Rose. Yes, ma'am. 



Ms. Lorimer. Things like the time between the felling of the 

 trees and the time before they are allowed to go on the ships; de- 

 barking, is very important to get rid of bark beetles near the bark; 

 the way the shipment is transferred on the boats, whether they are 

 covered or not. They have to be covered so that they are not 

 reinfested. Inspection procedures, once they arrive in port. Fumiga- 

 tion is an important item. 



All of these mitigation procedures APHIS has chosen to precisely 

 meet the risk from specific insects and diseases that were identified 

 in the risk assessment. 



Mr. Rose. Okay. 



Ms. Lorimer. If you could picture a matrix where you would 

 have the particular species of insects and diseases down one side, 

 and then you would have all the possible mitigation treatments 

 going along the top, you would put a check mark in the ones that 

 would deal with specific insects and specific diseases, and when 

 you look at such a matrix, there is lots of overlap. Methyl bromide 

 fumigation might take care of a particular insect but also debark- 

 ing would as well. 



Mr. Rose. Who would pay for that? Aha, we found a good one 

 here. Who is going to pay for this? 



Ms. Lorimer. These are all industry requirements. 



Mr. Rose. So the importers would pay for it? 



Ms. Lorimer. Yes. 



Mr. Rose. All right. If you do not mind, I think we got that. I 

 would like to let the Members ask some questions now, and all of 

 your statements are in the record, and I would like to start with 

 the Members of the subcommittee first, if they have questions. If 

 you all will seek recognition, I will call on you. 



Any Members of the subcommittee seek recognition to ask a 

 question of this panel of witnesses? Mrs. Thurman. 



Mrs. Thurman. Ms. Lorimer, in our full committee when we did 

 the reorganization, we offered an amendment to the organization 

 bill on risk assessment of having an of!ice set up there. It sounds 

 to me like you use risk assessment in your analysis in looking at 

 these things. Do you have any objections for an office of risk to be 

 set up? 



