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repealing this law. What is even more frustrating to me, is how the leadership of both the 

 House and Senate refuse to even consider extending this much needed law. To fiirther 

 illustrate the point, our company was recently solicited by U.S. Forest Service ranger 

 districts from Utah where the forest products industry has virtually vanished as a result of 

 the federal government nearly stopping all timber sales. Now the Forest Service wants to 

 manage against insect infestation and increased fire hazards. They now recognize that a 

 healthy forest products industry is needed to implement the management projects. 



Mr. Chairman, Congress, through its willingness to allow this needed law to sunset, is 

 walking away from hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues. In the face of compelling 

 evidence of the need to manage federal forests, I am unable to understand how Congress 

 can be so shon sighted, I am disappointed that Congress stands by while this 

 Administration works to economically destroy Ihe small timber purchasers in the west. 

 This policy of political correctness is killing many small towns like Yreka. In my opinion, 

 it is unconscionable that the Congressional leadership would stand by and allow groups 

 like the Sierra Club, aided by the Clinton Administration, to nearly stop all timber 

 harvesting on federal lands. Our national forests were established 100 years ago to supply 

 the timber and water needs of a growing nation. Our country is now a net importer of 

 wood. Mr. Chainnan, companies like Hi-Ridge Lumber need this Congress to do more to 

 ensure our federal forests are properly managed and supply domestic forest products for 

 Americans. 



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