18 



The Chairman. Before we hear from our first witness, I would 

 like to call on Senator Murkowski for such comments as he would 

 like to make at this time. 



Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wonder if I 

 might defer to the senior Senator from Alaska. 



The Chairman. Absolutely. 



Senator Murkowski. A former member of this committee, and 

 then if I might be called on very briefly. 



Senator Stevens. It is a matter of age, Mr. Chairman. 



The Chairman. I know about that. We are glad to welcome you. 



STATEMENT OF HON. TED STEVENS, U.S. SENATOR FROM 



ALASKA 



Senator Stevens. I want to thank you for holding this hearing. 



Being back in this room brings back memories of many days and 

 many hours that we have spent here in this committee on the 

 same subject. And I know there is no one who has been as faithful 

 as you have in terms of traveling to Alaska and talking to our 

 people and viewing the problems first-hand. 



So we are grateful to you for the time you have spent and for the 

 opportunity here for Alaskans to come once again to present their 

 views on the future of the Tongass. I understand the Forest Service 

 to be here, too. 



I have another meeting going on. I appreciate your courtesy in 

 allowing me to be here. 



The Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator Stevens. 



Senator Murkowski. 



STATEMENT OF HON. FRANK H. MURKOWSKI, U.S. SENATOR 



FROM ALASKA 



Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My comments 

 will be relatively brief in comparison to my ordinary comments. I 

 want to put you at ease. 



I want to thank you for scheduling these hearings, as you know, 

 Mr. Chairman, hearings on the two particular provisions of the 

 House Tongass wilderness bill. The subject matters before us are 

 wilderness designations and buffer strips. And the buffer strips, for 

 those of you who are not aware, imply that no-logging zones would 

 be on either side of the rivers and streams necessary to protect the 

 fisheries. 



The hearings will be the only Senate record on the impact of wil- 

 derness. There still have not been field hearings in Alaska on the 

 impact of wilderness. 



Further, Mr. Chairman, this hearing will be the only record in 

 the Congress on buffer strips. As such, the testimony is critically 

 important today. 



As you and I both know, the Tongass has been a critical issue 

 and a controversial one. Much of the controversy, however, has re- 

 sulted in two great myths that have been perpetuated by opponents 

 of logging. And those two are: first, that the Tongass timber pro- 

 gram is a waste of the taxpayers' money; and second, that the 

 entire Tongass is in danger of being clearcut. 



