United Stitei 

 ,.-.. Department of 

 f/lXjiV Agriculture 



Forest 

 Service 



96 



Washington 

 Office 



12th & Independence SV 

 P.O. Box 96090 

 Washington, DC 20090-6090 



Reply To: 1510 



D«te: a*,} , 19go 



Honorable Dale Bumpers 

 Chairman, Subcommittee on Public 



Lands, National Parks and Forests 

 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

 United States Senate 

 Uashington, D.C. 20510 



Dear Mr. Chairman: 



We have reviewed the transcript from the February 26 hearing on H.R. 987, the 

 "Tongass Timber Reform Act." A brief discussion between Senator Murkowski and 

 Associate Chief Leonard concerning fisheries enhancement in designated 

 wilderness appears on page 44 of the transcript. We would like to clarify 

 our responses during that discussion. 



The Wilderness Act generally prohibits roads, motorized equipment, structures, 

 and installations within areas designated as wilderness under the Act. These 

 prohibitions preclude fisheries enhancement projects in wilderness. 



However, such projects are permitted within National Forest wilderness and 

 wilderness study areas in Alaska. Section 1315(b) of the Alaska National 

 Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) permits fishery research, management, 

 enhancement, and rehabilitation within wilderness designated by ANILCA. 

 Reasonable accss, including the temporary use of motorized equipment, as well 

 as permanent improvements and facilities such as fishways, fish weirs, fish 

 ladders, fish hatcheries, spawning channels, stream clearance, and egg 

 planting are permitted. 



We are sending a copy of this letter to Senator Murkowski for his information. 

 We are also sending a copy to Mr. Al Astrin, printing editor for the Committee 

 on Energy and Natural Resources, with the request that this letter be Inserted 

 at an appropriate place In the hearing transcript. 



Sincerely, 



MARK A. REIMERS 



P 



F. DALE ROBERTSON 

 Chief 



Senator Murkowski 



Mr. Astrin w/ transcript S 



Caring lor the Land and Serving People 



FS-6200 281X4 8*1 



