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Further, we do not believe Congress will include legal assurances in any wilderness bill to 

 guarantee the future timber-sale programs will be sold. The traditional wilderness release 

 language found in so many other wilderness bills have proven to be worthless. The end result 

 is that the preservationists take every opportunity to propose more and more wilderness. Unless, 

 and until. Congress develops wilderness release language that truly releases multiple-use lands 

 for future management. Western Forest Industries Association and our members vehemently 

 oppose any additional wilderness in the Black Hills. 



THE IMPUCATIONS OF REDUCED TIMBER SUPPLY ON SMALL BUSINESS 



The implications are that fewer mills exist today than in any other time during this century, and 

 more are lost each year. If the trend is not reversed we will be down to two small business mills 

 that will be able to compete for federal timber, and a handfull of others who refuse to do business 

 with the Forest Service. 



A careful examination of the closures and purchases of small mills over the last five years is very 

 revealing. 



1987 Pope & Talbot, Inc. buys out Garhart & Poole of Spearfish, SD. 



1988 - 1989 Hamms Forest Products, R.E. Linde, Morgan Sawmills, Newburg Sawmills, and 



Wheeler Consolidate all finish their last Forest Service sales and make it known 

 they could no longer afford to purchase Forest Service timber. 



1989 Pope & Talbot, Inc purchases Cambria Forest Products in New Castle WY and 

 continues to operate the mill today. Neiman Sawmills purchases Johnson Sawmill 

 of Hulett after the Forest Service refuses to forgive default claims against Johnson 

 Sawmill, despite the owners having declared bankruptcy. 



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