22 



board feet and we have a reduction in 3 years maybe down to 60, 

 we will definitely lose one of the mills, either Newcastle or Hill 

 City, which will result in the loss of hundreds of jobs. In the years 

 to come, if it's lowered even lower than that, we will lose both 

 mills, which will result in at least 600 lost jobs in the Black Hills 

 that cannot be replaced. We cannot afford our economy to slump 

 and sink to these figures. We must protect our national heritage. 



If they're going to close off and make total wilderness areas out 

 of places that are unnecessary, how will the handicapped enjoy the 

 wilderness in the forest? They will not be able to get in there. You 

 will defeat the purpose of why the Senate and the Congress estab- 

 lished the Americans With Disabilities Act, so that there would be 

 accessibility to all people. 



I hope by having this hearing here today that you understand 

 and will help us — the National Forest Service must include local 

 government beside county commissioners. They must go to the 

 local townships, to the mayors, to our city councils, and they must 

 include us when they start to make revisions in the Forest Service. 

 We must be included in the economy to see if it fits our plan. Can a 

 compromise be reached? Can a sustainable economy be there for us 

 for the future and for our children? 



It is great to live in the west. Our spirits will not be broken. We 

 are in total support of the multiple use program. We will never re- 

 linquish to total wilderness because it serves no purpose. We think 

 the difference between devastation by insects or by fire or by sensi- 

 ble use in grooming of the forest and thinning of the forest makes 

 a lot more sense than devastation to us. So we do not support total 

 wilderness in any form in the Black Hills. I understand from the 

 experts that if you let the pine beetle take over, they could wipe 

 out whole sections in a short period of time. What purpose would 

 this serve? 



We know that the environment must be addressed, Senator We 

 know that there are things that must be done. But good manage- 

 ment of the forest by the Forest Service, sustaining a good cut for 

 the industry, grooming the forest well, keeping it healthy, then we 

 will have a healthy economy. Don't let anybody sway you into 

 thinking that total wilderness will save anything. It will only 

 wreck our economy in western South Dakota. Governor George 

 Mickelson was adamant in that. He said he would not allow this to 

 take place. Governor Walter Dale Miller said the same thing. He is 

 against this taking place and that a good, healthy sustained cut 

 should be what the National Forest Service takes into their plan. 



Thank you, Chairman, for allowing me to speak. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Vitter follows:] 



Prepared Statement of Drue Vitter 



My name is Mayor Drue Vitter. I am the mayor of Hill City, SD, population 650. 

 My city is a rural community which lies in the southern part of Pennington County. 

 Unfortunately, due to regulations in the 1990 Farm Bill, we as a rural timber de- 

 pendent community do not qualify for assistance because of the influence the Rapid 

 City population has on county statistics. 



The management of the Black Hills National Forest is extremely important to 

 local communities. The Organic Act of 1897, established forest reserves for conserva- 

 tion not preservation. National Forests were set aside to provide for wood products 

 such as firewood, fencing, building, as well as provide for mining, prospecting, and 



