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Response to Questions 



Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 



Hearing on Tongass National Forest Legislation 



February 26, 1990 



Question 1. At page 5 of your testimony, you correctly point out that the 

 original Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP) was used by Congress for Alaska 

 National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) land designations in 

 Southeast Alaska and that TLMP could be used by us now. Could this Committee 

 have the draft TLMP alternatives (including maps) for use in its land 

 proposals and when could you get this to us? 



Answer : The draft alternatives including maps can be available by late March 

 1990. However, we do not have the ability to reproduce large quantities of 

 each alternative map in that time frame. 



Question 2. How much money have you spent on TLMP? 



Answer: FY 1987 $ 102,000 



FY 1988 $4,384,599 1/ 

 FY 1989 $2,487,893 



1/ Includes $2,632,000 GIS costs 



Question 3. Describe in detail what you have done with Geographic 

 Informational System (GIS) mapping, etc.? 



Answer: We have incorporated resource information including but not limited 

 to recreation, soil, vegetation, scenic quality, subsistence, wetlands, 

 riparian, and fish and wildlife habitat by indicator species, research natural 

 areas, experimental forests, and land status. In addition, we have 

 information such as H.R. 987 wilderness boundaries. 



From the inventories, we are able to quickly assess effects on resources by 

 different management scenarios. In conjunction with the National Forest 

 planning model, we are able to address effects of differing land allocations 

 and predict likely attainable outputs associated with any given management 

 scenario. 



GIS information will also become increasingly important for site-specific 

 project level planning. These applications, which are already occurring, will 

 serve as the principal long-term use of the GIS system. 



Question 4. How many public meetings have you held in Southeast Alaska 

 regarding TLMP7 



Answer: Workshops were held in 33 southeast Alaska communities, and in 

 Seattle, Anchorage, and Washington, D.C. In addition, an insert of the public 



