112 



to list spfewxes as threatened or endangered under the Endangered 

 Species Act. Responding to these proposals and associated 

 litigation, actual or threatened, has made it difficult to 

 provide the level of timber supply that the local timber industry 

 has wanted and cast doubt in many people's minds about the future 

 timber supplies. 



We want to do a better job of reconciling this tension and 

 balancing our stewardship obligations for wildlife habitat with 

 the human needs for a healthy and growing economy. We think the 

 best way to do this is to complete the Tongass plan revision, 

 where this balancing can be considered in the broadest context, 

 with the most comprehensive information base, and through the 

 widest public participation. The Tongass Forest Supervisors 

 released their preferred alternate in April and we expect to make 

 a final decision on the Tongass Forest Plan Revision in September 

 of this year. 



2. A commitment to a sustainable timber supply. 



Of utmost concern to the Forest Service is establishing a 

 sustainable timber supply upon which industry can rely. The 

 Forest Service has been working aggressively to expand the 

 independent timber sale program. We intend to offer 116 million 

 board feet under the independent timber supply program for FY 

 1996. 



