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buffer strips on salmon streams, timber harvest moratorium areas, and wilderness areas. 

 Congressional hearings have been held in Southeast Alaska and in Washington, D.C. Members 

 of the House of Representatives even visited the communities of Thorne Bay (founded as a 

 Ketchikan Pulp Co. logging camp), Pelican, Steamboat Bay, Sitka, Juneau, Wrangell, and 

 Ketchikan as part of an Ajugust 1987 tour. 



2f. In fact. Mr. Metcalf. isn't it true that these areas were selected by the SEACC board with no 

 opportunity for public input? 



No. Quite the opposite. The fact is that the SEACC Lands Protection Proposal has a solid 

 basis in, community-based public outreach and involvement over an eight year period (1983- 

 1990). I have explained the details of SEACC's extensive public process in the responses to 

 previous questions. SEACC gave long and careful consideration to: 



* local community priorities for fish and wildlife habitat protection; 



* the best available Tongass resource information available from the Forest 

 Service and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game; 



* designing a lands protection proposal that would provide long-term protection 

 for important fish, wildlife, and recreation areas while still providing a timber 

 supply adequate to sustain employment in the existing Tongass timber industry; 



* public recommendations and suggestions for lands protection. 



2g. Isn't it also true that the House of Representatives simply accepted SEACC's areas without 

 change? 



The House added Inian Islands after a request from the community of Elfin Cove. The 

 boundaries have been subject to 4 House hearings, 4 Senate hearings, and numerous discussions 

 on these proposed areas. The House did not accept our Special Management proposal for the 

 Yakutat Forelands. 



2h. I am intrigued by the SEACC selection process, Mr. Metcalf. At page J of your testimony, 

 you add Salmon Bay to your list to make it 24 areas you are after. SEACC's reason is that 

 Salmon Bay "was selected for logging." Does SEACC select land areas for wilderness on the 

 basis of what the Forest Service selects for logging? 



A: As outlined above, lands were selected on their basis of importance for fish and wildlife 

 resources, and importance to nontimber industries, and to local communities. 



Commercial fishermen are supporting protection of Salmon Bay Lake watershed because of its 

 importance to the commercial gillnet fishery for sockeye, coho, pink, and chum salmon. 

 SEACC is a strong supporter of the commercial fishing industry, and we responded to their 

 request for help in protecting this important area. 



2i. What consideration did the SEACC wilderness proposal make for native village corporations 

 wishing to buy sawmills and purchase National Forest limber? Did you contact Klukwan, 

 Coldhell, Shee Atika, Atikon and Koncor to determine what their limber needs would be in the 

 1990s? Do these village corporations agree with your proposals? Does Sealaska Regional 

 Corporation agree to setting 24 areas aside as wilderness? 



A: Again, we had several meetings with Sealaska, as well as with Haida Corporation, Yakutat 



