44 



eventually if I can at least accomplish my goals in this legislation, 

 I think the administrations — and I say, collectively, administra- 

 tions — are going to see the wisdom and cannot make decisions that 

 far-reaching from Washington, D.C., that affects people's lives. It is 

 just not the Tongass. It is other areas that have the same ramifica- 

 tions. And the idea that somebody in New York can say, "This is 

 my land and I do not care what you do, but you cannot destroy my 

 land," is wrong. You have to have some idea about how you live. 



You people have always been professional, all the way from John 

 Sandor, Mike Barton, and other than Phil Janik, who decides not 

 to show up. One time he had a stroke, and I wished him all the 

 luck in the world, but you have had the decency to appear. 



Mr. Morrison. Thank you. Congressman. 



Just a quick comment. The real key to local involvement and 

 input into the way we manage the forest is through the forest plan, 

 and that is the document that I manage the Chatham area by le- 

 gally, and however the forest plan tells me to manage the forest, 

 I will do that, and if folks can provide their input and influence one 

 way or another, the forest plan, that is the document that I follow 

 in local issues and deal with local projects. 



We have lots of controversy over local timber sales here in Sitka. 

 I am following the forest plan in putting up those timber sales. If 

 people do not like how they are, where they are, when they are, 

 how big they are, how small they are, the place to influence that 

 is in the forest plan because I obey the law, and the forest plan is 

 the law that I am following for management of the forest. 



The Chairman. Gary, unfortunately, there are those who still 

 use the courts to impede and oppose once the plan is reached, and 

 I think that is a disservice to the plan. There are those that love 

 to use the court system and those that believe — by the way, the Si- 

 erra Club, did you notice that they do not want any more trees cut, 

 period? That is their national policy, no cutting of trees on any na- 

 tional forest land. Let her burn, let her fall down, let her rot. That 

 is natural, and, in the meantime, lost a lot of opportunity. 



I want to thank you, and this meeting is adjourned. 



[Whereupon, at 12:30 p.m., the Committee was adjourned; and 

 the submitted material for the record may be found at end of hear- 

 ings.] 



