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resolution asked that the Mansfield Peninsula (on Admiralty 

 Island) be added to the list of set-aside areas. 



Many communities believed the Conference position did not protect 

 enough lands or did not include strong enough reforms, but felt 

 that it was at least a good start. These communities chose to be 

 neutral to the Conference position and took no official action. 



No community officially opposed the original Conference position. 



Alaska Governor Steve Cowper supported the Conference position. 

 He testified for its adoption as legislation at the Senate field 

 hearings in Sitka and in letters to Congressional leaders. 



SEACC believed the Conference position did not go far enough. At 

 the time we said, "These policies are a good effort aimed at more 

 balanced management of the Tongass. This goes a long way toward 

 reflecting the desires of the smaller communities that are not 

 dependent on timber cutting." 



Rep. Young was on the radio supporting the Conference position 

 and Senator Murkowski told conference members in a telephone 

 conference call that he would introduce it as a Senate bill. 

 Senator Stevens did not take any position that SEACC is aware of. 



The Alaska Loggers Association (ALA) , however, strongly opposed 

 the land set asides and the "up to" 4.5 billion board foot timber 

 supply language. ALA began pressuring the Conference to change 

 its position and succeeded in forcing the board to re-consider 

 its position with a second vote. The basic position was passed 

 again with a 7-4 vote. 



In between the two votes, Young and Murkowski' s promises of 

 support dissolved into opposition. 



Why did the Conference change its original position? 



"It is our understanding that the revisions to these areas were, 

 in large part, the result of a coordinated effort put forth by 

 the Alaska Loggers Association (ALA) , of which Goldbelt is a 

 member," wrote Goldbelt President Joseph Wilson in his January 

 23, 1990 letter supporting changes to the Conference position. 



ALA never gave up pressuring the Southeast Conference. It is no 

 secret that these changes were generated by the timber industry, 

 and not by elected officials from communities. With newly 

 elected board members in sympathy with ALA, the result was 

 predictable. 



