61 



anything. I think that is the safeguard to this whole package, and 

 if someone can make up the argument maybe it would be better 

 leaving it with the Federal Government, that is going to be their 

 job. This discussion has to go forward. 



I want to thank you very much and appreciate you inviting me 

 here to Thome Bay, and we will look forward to visiting you after 

 the hearing. Thank you. 



By the way, where is your community? 



Mr. Preston. Naukati is on the west side of Prince of Wales. 



The Chairman. West side? 



Mr. Preston. Yes. It is probably 44 miles from Thome Bay 

 north. 



The Chairman. Before you go, I remember when we did not have 

 roads. Do we have a circle of roads, now, where everybody is con- 

 nected? 



Mr. Preston. Yes. 



The Chairman. You mentioned tourism. Are we getting any tour- 

 ism in here at all? 



Ms. Gerrits. What is there to see? 



Mr. Preston. Maybe you can get the State to grade the road. 



The Chairman. Get the State to grade the road? Maybe we ought 

 to make the roads private; that will really get somebody's interest. 



It is something you want to think about because when I was 

 here, we flew everywhere, and I guess we pretty much do so now, 

 but there was no connection between Thorne Bay — where does the 

 road go now, from Thorne bay to 



Mr. Preston. Labouchere Bay. 



The Chairman. Labouchere Bay connects to? 



Mr. Preston. That is it. 



The Chairman. What about the rest of Prince of Wales Island? 



Mr. Preston. Well, you go from over to — up to Whale Pass, and 

 you can go on over to Coffman Cove. 



The Chairman. Thank you very much. Thank you for being here 

 today. 



The next panel is Panel III. Nick Gefre, Thorne Bay; Rocky Col- 

 lins from Klawock, given by Ben Williams, I understand; Dennis 

 Kuntz from Craig, Alaska; Ms. Judy Willis from Coffman Cove, 

 Alaska. She has been invited. I do not know whether she is here 

 or not. 



Thank you, panel, for being here. I think you have watched the 

 panels. It is pretty painless. Give your point of view, and then we 

 will go. 



Nick, you are first up. 



STATEMENT OF NICK GEFRE, THORNE BAY 



Mr. Gefre. My name is Nick Gefre, Thorne Bay. I support H.R. 

 2413, and I appreciate the opportunity to address you on my views 

 as they relate to the Tongass National Forest. 



I have worked and lived in the Tongass for almost 20 years. My 

 three daughters were all born in the Tongass, as well as my busi- 

 ness. I will spend the rest of my life in the Tongass. 



Needless to say, I have a vested interest in how the Tongass is 

 managed. Decisions that concern the Tongass should be made on 

 the local level by the people who have chosen the Tongass as their 



