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Southeast Alaska Conservation Council 



SEACC • P.O. Box 021692 • Juneau. Alaska 99802 • (907-586-69421 





Washington. DC Office: 



do National Audubon Society 



801 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E 



Washington. DC 20003 



1202- 547-01 41 1 



February 12, 1990 



The Honorable Bennett Johnston 

 U.S. Senate 

 Washington, DC 20510 



Dear Senator Johnston: 



The recent switch in the Southeast Conference's position on 

 Tongass reform has caused a considerable flap in Alaska and some 

 confusion in Washington, DC. 1 wanted to give you SEACC s 

 observations on past and recent events. 



When did the Southeast Conference first become involved? 



In September 1988, Senator Murkowski asked the Southeast 

 Conference, a regional chamber of commerce, to develop a position 

 on Tongass reform reflecting the broad array of Southeast AlaskaN 

 interests. The Conference adopted an official position in March 

 1989 after nearly seven months of discussion and consultation 

 with Southeast Alaska communities. 



How was the Conference's original position put together? 



The Conference board established a Tongass Committee to develop 

 its original position. This committee was made up of one former 

 mayor (Bill Privett of Wrangell, then chairman of the full 

 Conference) and four elected community officials (McKie Campbell 

 of Juneau, Reuben Yost of Pelican, John Dapcevich of Sitka, and 

 Ralph Gregory of Ketchikan) . 



At the outset the Committee made it clear that it would find its 

 own middle ground based on what was good for the communities as 

 whole entities — not what the timber industry wanted and not 

 what environmental groups wanted. To get the facts and views of 

 all concerned, the committee repeatedly sought comments from all 

 Southeast communities and met for days with the Forest Service, 

 Alaska Loggers Association (ALA), SEACC, and others. "Our goal 

 was to craft a Tongass position for the people of Southeast, not 

 just for the timber companies or the conservationists," said 

 McKie Campbell in an AP story. 



Working from 12 consensus points, the Tongass Committee arrived 

 at its position after 18 weeks of work. "We have reached out to 



PELICAN FORESTRY COUNCIL * FRIENDS OF BERNERS BAT, Juneau * WRANGELL RESOURCE COUNCIL * SITKA CONSERVATION SOCIETY 



FALSE ISLAND-K0OK LAKE COUNCIL, Tenakee Springs • LYNN CANAL CONSERVATION, Haines * TAKU CONSERVATION SOCIETY, Juneau 



NARROWS CONSERVATION COALITION, Petersburg • FRIENDS OF GLACIER BAY, Gustavus * TONGASS CONSERVATION SOCIETY, Ketchikan 



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