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small business and then think about how large business has benefited as a result of the 

 imposition of Option Nine. As a result of the imposition of Option Nine, the value of the 

 largest companies' timber holdings has skyrocketed. With less federal timber likely to 

 come to market, these companies watched their timber increase in value at an significant 

 rate. 



Thus, these companies found themselves with more revenue and gaiiied a competitive 

 advantage over small companies like mine as a result of the decision to reduce federal 

 timber sales by 80 to 90 percent. Then to add insuh to injury, the Administration offered 

 HCP's to the largest companies. These IICP's are not a practical option for smaller land 

 ovsners, due to the expense of completing the extensive biological research which the 

 Department of Interior requires. When signed, these HCP's free-up a significant amount 

 of the forest lands these companies hold. Thus small business companies are forced to 

 compete against companies which were made more powerfijl through the actions of the 

 Clinton Administration. If one was conspiracy minded, one might conclude the 

 Administration and the largest timber companies in this country aren't working together to 

 eliminate small companies like mine. 



VX Recent Decisions by The Administration Continue the Persecution of the Forest 

 Products Industry 



Despite having signed a law to expedite the salvage of dead and dying timber, witliin three 

 days of that bill becoming law this Administration released a Memorandum of 



10 



