311 



The Conference has taken a position that the Forest Service in 

 its management practices take under strong consideration the Na- 

 tional Marine Fisheries Service's concerns concerning buffer strips. 

 Again being consistent as far as the TLMP process is concerned, we 

 feel strongly that all information should be considered, and we feel 

 also that possibly NMFS has some information that the Forest 

 Service should share. 



Senator Murkowski. Have you had a chance to talk to the Gov- 

 ernor on the change in the Southeast Conference position? 



Mr. Griffin. No, sir, I have not had the opportunity. Mr. Ferry, 

 the President, and myself tried to meet with the Governor, but he 

 was otherwise occupied and Mr. Lindh and another gentleman met 

 with us. 



Senator Murkowski. Am I correct in understanding that the 

 Southeast Conference land proposal is to be considered by us only 

 if Congress chooses not to wait for TLMP? 



Mr. Griffin. That is correct, sir. 



Senator Murkowski. Did the first Southeast Conference position 

 take the same approach? 



Mr. Griffin. Yes, sir, that is consistent with the first Conference. 



Senator Murkowski. Well, we have got our marching orders 

 again. 



Joe, over in Goldbelt you are still trying to stay alive, and they 

 have surrounded you with wilderness? 



Mr. Wilson. Yes, they have. 



Senator Murkowski. You moved off Admiralty in good faith and 

 now you are stuck. 



Mr. Wilson. The wagon trains have circled Goldbelt property. 



Senator Murkowski. They are all Federal. 



I assume that there is nothing to trade? I mean, what is your le- 

 verage? Have you got any? 



Mr. Wilson. Well, we looked at those five timber sales surround- 

 ing Goldbelt property and, in an effort to allow us to compromise 

 and allow us to remain at Hobart Bay because that is where our 

 substantial investment is, we proposed essentially what the South- 

 east Conference 2 adopted, which was we did some redrawing of 

 the lines on the Chuck River, that was under no-timber harvest. 



Essentially, the Chuck River north of Silver Creek, which flows 

 sort of into Windham Bay, would still be protected, and the Chuck 

 River that is south of Silver Creek would be under Forest Service 

 management for harvesting. 



Under that kind of a compromise, it would be economically feasi- 

 ble for Goldbelt to remain at Hobart Bay. 



Senator Murkowski. The sensitivity of the fisheries has been 

 highlighted here throughout the hearing. What do you folks do to 

 enhance the fish habitat, recognizing — I am talking with Mr. 

 Wilson now specifically in the Goldbelt area. 



You have got loggers and you have got fishermen, and they are 

 your own people in both instances. 



Mr. Wilson. Yes, that is true. We are subject to the forest prac- 

 tice requirements and also, as I mentioned in my statement, we 

 have logged on the headwaters of the Chuck River for the past 

 three years now. We have also logged in other I think important 



