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chart the coarse for this reexamination, ana we will be sharing 

 the results with the public along the way. 



6. Expanding the economic base of Southeast Alaska communities. 



The Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture possess many 

 tools for assisting resource dependent communities to diversify 

 and expand their economic base. Both financial and technical 

 assistance provided by the Department and the Forest Service have 

 been utilized extensively in Southeast Alaska. In 1994, the 

 Department offered direct assistance to the city of Sitka through 

 the creation of a Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) 

 area. A coordinator was located in Sitka to work directly with 

 community leaders and local industries to help identify means for 

 expanding local economic opportunities for the communities. 



Over the last three years, a total of $1.8 million in Forest 

 Service rural community assistance (RCA) funds have been 

 distributed to twenty communities in Southeast Alaska. In FY 

 1995, $500,000 of RCA funds were dedicated to the communities of 

 Sitka and Wrangell to help them respond to the impacts of recent 

 mill closures. Sitka residents plan to use their half of the 

 money to expand and enhance the Thompsen boat harbor. Wrangell 

 intends to complete the infrastructure necessary for residential 

 development and provide port fill for water-dependent 

 development. Also in FY 1995, a one-time appropriation of 

 $300,000 was made to the Forest Service to fund a study of 



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