218 



Mr. AUNE. I have not been tracking that, so I do not. 



Mr. DOOLITTLE. Is there sinybody here that does have informa- 

 tion? 



Mr. Unger. I would be happy to provide that for the record. 



Mr. DOOLITTLE. I would appreciate that. 



Mr. Herger and I have been concerned, we have both been in- 

 volved in trying to bring that emergency salvage law about and 

 then to see that our areas didn't benefit from it. If there is some 

 benefit, I would like to know. 



I know in Tuolumne County they are importing logs from as far 

 away as Colorado for their mills because the timber isn't available 

 to be cut. It has been rather disappointing. 



SNEP had as one of its preliminary findings, I understand, rec- 

 ognition that managing the Sierra Nevadas in a way that the old- 

 growth forests have been managed in the Pacific Northwest, that 

 it would not be desirable because of the differences in forests. 



I think the report finding said the following; that they acknowl- 

 edged the Sierra forests are much different than the forests of the 

 Pacific Northwest in fire frequency and intensity. To what extent 

 will the final SNEP report agree with that initial finding? 



Mr. Unger. I have not been, nor have our other top-line officials 

 been briefed on the SNEP findings in order to preserve the inde- 

 pendence of the team that is preparing the report. Mr. Aune may 

 have some information. 



Mr. AUNE. The findings on old-growth are also contained in the 

 Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Report. You will be presented at least 

 two options: strategy and possible strategy on management of the 

 old-growth forests in the Sierra Nevada. There may be other op- 

 tions such as the biological diversity management strategy, that 

 you will have considerations on that; so you will have a full range 

 of strategy policies and options presented to you when the report 

 is released. 



Mr. DOOLITTLE. This recognizes the differences and that it would 

 be inappropriate to manage the Sierra as the Northwest has been 

 managed. That is in the report that is coming, then? 



Mr. Aune. Yes. That is a direct quote from Gary Franklin. 



Mr. DOOLITTLE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Hansen. Mr. Herger. 



Mr. Herger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



It certainly is important, that Mr. Doolittle just brought up this 

 point. I appreciate him quoting the fact that our forests, south of 

 Washington and Oregon, receive less rainfall, and fires are more 

 prevalent than in forests to the north of us. Because of denser for- 

 ests we literally have catastrophic conditions in northern California 

 and, in fact, in all of California at this time. 



I just want to reemphasize that and move back to another ques- 

 tion that was asked by Mr. Doolittle and the Chairman, having to 

 do with the California Spotted Owl Study. I understand that the 

 final Environmental Impact Statement for the California spotted 

 owl is finished Mr. Unger and ready for release? Is this true? 



Mr. Unger. That is true. 



Mr. Herger. So it has been finished and is ready for release. 

 Has this document been thoroughly peer reviewed? 



Mr. Unger. That is my understanding. 



