94 



tion nearly a year ago, the administration has still not implement- 

 ed the regulations to streamline the appeals process. It is not right 

 that legitimate projects can be delayed for months and months by 

 frivolous appeals and a 29-cent stamp. 



A planning process with strong involvement by local govern- 

 ments and the public is essential. Everj^hing cannot be maximized, 

 and trade-offs must be recognized and choices made. 



The Forest Service is obligated to ask for public comments. They 

 must also be willing to listen and to respond. And local govern- 

 ments must be involved as the Forest Service considers decisions 

 which will dramatically affect local counties and local communi- 

 ties. 



Just as we must maintain biologic diversity, we must also main- 

 tain economic diversity. Rather than trying to substitute one seg- 

 ment of our economy for another, we must focus instead on making 

 each slice of our economic pie as healthy as possible. 



In conclusion, I'd like to read a quote from Aldo Leopold to Sand 

 County Almanac. He said, "There are two spiritual dangers in not 

 owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast 

 comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the 

 furnace. To avoid the first, one should plant a garden, preferably 

 where there is no grocer to confuse the issue. To avoid the second, 

 he should lay a split of good oak on the andirons, preferably where 

 there is no furnace, and let it warm his shins while a February 

 blizzard tosses the trees outside." 



Well, fortunately there's not a February blizzard outside today, 

 but certainly the wisdom in this quote is obvious. 



I thank you. Senator, for this opportunity to speak, and I thank 

 you for your very timely leadership on this vital issue. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Troxel follows:] 



Prepared Statement of Tom Troxel 



I'm Tom Troxel, executive secretary of the Black Hills Regional Multiple Use Coa- 

 lition. The Black Hills Regional Multiple Use Coalition includes 29 organizations 

 representing hunters, trappers, snowmobilers, off-road riders, fourwheelers, the 

 forest products industry, livestock producers, mining interests, irrigators, trailriders, 

 conservation districts and economic development entities (Attachment 1). The com- 

 bined members and employees of these organizations easily exceeds 20,000 people 

 who live, work or play in the Black Hills region of South Dakota and Wyoming. 

 They have joined this coalition because of their concern about multiple use manage- 

 ment of the Black Hills National Forest and other public lands in South Dakota and 

 Wyoming, and also the effects of State and national environmental policy on private 

 lands management. 



The Black Hills region includes a high percentage of Federal lands in national 

 forests, national grasslands, and national parks and monuments. These lands pro- 

 vide an economic base which is vital to the continued well-being of the region. Other 

 panelists have reviewed the thousands of jobs in forest products, mining, livestock, 

 and recreation businesses which depend on the public lands. Just as in the rest of 

 America, most of these businesses are small business. In the Black Hills they range 

 from family ranching operations like the Thompson's north of Spearfish, logging 

 businesses like the Ballard's in Custer, sawmills like McLaughlin's and Linde's, 

 snowmobile lodges like Dampier's west of Lead, and many less obvious businesses 

 like Dale's Tire and Retreading in Rapid City, the Sundance State Bank, Black Hills 

 Yamaha Harley Davidson in Rapid City, and many, many more. 



I've been asked to address the impact of Federal land management on the envi- 

 ronment. This is very timely and appropriate, because factual discussion of environ- 

 mental issues has been overwhelmed today by slick campaigns of "Chicken Lit- 

 tle's — the sky is falling" environmental hysteria, foisted on the American public by 

 big-business environmental groups with their combined annual budgets which 



