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Mr. AUNE. We unfortunately had a late start on the project, and 

 we went through two science — two leaders actually, three science 

 team leaders, and when we finally finished the proposal in the first 

 year, we wrote a letter back to Congress stating that we antici- 

 pated the delivery date would be December 1995, and obviously we 

 have not made that target, for a lot of reasons, primarily the exten- 

 sive scientific peer review of all the documents that will be in- 

 cluded in the final SNEP report. 



Mr. Herger. Originally, it was due in December 1994. Is that 

 correct? 



Mr. AUNE. It was never passed into legislation, and, as I stated, 

 we had used it predominantly in terms of overall concept for SNEP. 

 But we wrote a letter to Congress saying we anticipated it would 

 be December 1995; we couldn't meet the comprehensive study in 

 that short time period. 



Mr. Herger. You were trying to go by the follow legislation; you 

 could see you weren't going to make the December 1994, so you 

 were trying to make the December of 1995. 



We didn't make the December of 1995 either, did we? 



Mr. AuNE. No, we did not. The reason for that we stated. We 

 really have completed a very extensive peer review process, and 

 that has taken longer than anticipated. We expect to deliver the re- 

 port to Congress on June 7. 



Mr. Herger. So we will have that report, OK. 



My concern — and let me mention this; this is very important — 

 the purpose of the legislation, as was laid down even by the pre- 

 vious. Democratic leadership, of this Congress, was that we would 

 have the background to be able to make decisions we need. 



My concern is that we did not make the 1994 deadline and that 

 we then did not make the 1995 deadline. We are now May 21st of 

 1996 and yet, we still don't have it. You indicate we are going to 

 have it in about another month. 



I just want to emphasize how important it is that Congress have 

 this information so that we, in turn, can make a decision based on 

 science and with your input. In addition, it is also crucial that the 

 administration not move forward before we have had a chance to 

 be able to work on this. 



Mr. Hansen. Will the gentleman yield? 



Mr. Herger. Yes. 



Mr. Hansen. Will that report be in draft or final form that is de- 

 livered on June 7? 



Mr. Unger. That will be a final report. 



Mr. Hansen. I appreciate the gentleman yielding. 



Mr. Herger. That will be a final report, and the Congress will 

 receive it in June. 



Mr. Unger. On June 7. 



Mr. Herger. On June 7. 



Could you tell me whether the Forest Service plans to do any- 

 thing with the SNEP report prior to submitting it to Congress and 

 giving Congress the time to review it, accept it, and act upon it? 



Mr. AuNE. I think the key feature here is that the steering com- 

 mittee will deliver the report to Congress at the same time we will 

 deliver to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and agency 

 leadership. At that time, the Forest Service will have the oppor- 



