205 



landt. I hav* ip«nt many houra on th« firi lina protMUnfl ttaioturM tnd rMOuroM fiwn th« 

 davMtatlon of witdflra. Frankly, the notion of laas timtMr harvaiting, I«m thinning, ate., Kara* 

 me to daath when you conirider the impact on flra danger. The Job of protaoQng etnioturae In 

 what If termed the wildland/urban ftitarfaoe li a precailoua one at t)ett It it also one that at 

 thie point le the fmandai rasponslblity of local (county level and below) government Beth the 

 fMerai and ttate agenciee involved have "washed their hands" of this responsfeinty. at least 

 untfl a wildfire niadMs the point where the Federal Emergen^ Managament Agamy has a 

 role. I don't believe it Is responsible government to expect looal level agendes to continue to 

 boar the brunt of this burden whan the federal govammant It oonsldeflng modifying their 

 aeHons, the rssuit of wNoh will be IncnMsed risk of viMflre. As a reference, our toeal fire 

 protection distrfot, on wNch the volunteer firs depertment relet eimost totally on for funding 

 support, has a legal MAXIMUM taxing authority that wfll generete about $32,000 per year 

 tfmiugh real property taxes. When a single drop by a siuny bomber can cost about $6,000; 

 and a single fire truck can cost over $100,000 It is easy to see what kind of impact a wlldnre 

 can have. 



In summa^, I beReve that you and this committee shmid work fbr the foflowing: 



1. Urige the United States Forest Service to Issue a draft management plan for the Black HINs 

 National Forest which allows for the maxinuffn sustainable A8Q possible. One point to 

 consider here is that this amount can be held edificially low by removing forest lands from 

 the "suttabie" for han^est land base. The plan should also aHow for the best possible mU of 

 muttipia uses of this valuable national raeource. 



2. Work through Congress «id the administrative branch to restore budgeted funding to altow 

 for the han/est of 100 MMBF as outDned by forest supervisor Robeila MoHzen. The budget 

 forced reduction to 85 MMBF Is not biotogkally or environmentslly necessary. 



3. Support no addittonal wlldemess derignations In South Dakote. This is an exdustonary 

 tactic used by preservationists to create their own private arses for rscreation. 



4. Work through the administrative branch to publish the modified admlnstretlve appeele 

 regulations as mandated last yeer by Congress. The length of this delay Is creattig an 

 unnecessary hardship on the timber industry and rsdudng the amount of money that a 

 timber progrem is eble to return to the Treasury. 



Senator, given ail the facts that say It is in the best interest of both the human and non^uman 

 populations of Amenea's wild lands to manage these tends for the best possible mb( of multipte 

 use. I befleve that this issue is in serious risk of no tonger being beeed on the fMs, but nrther 

 onemottons. I urge you to resist iNs at al eesto. I thank you tor this opportuni^ to provide 

 you wHh my testimony. If I can answw any quesHons. or provide any assManoe, pteaee dom 

 hesitate to contact me. 



RanMlfully submitted. ^ 



PaulK.8mNh 

 13070 Neck Yoke Road 

 Rapid City, 80 07701 

 HOffltPhone: (90S) 341-2200 

 OfltoePhone: (005)340-3000 



74-343 0-94-8 



