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Governor Tony Knowles fPage5| August 9, 1995 



• Act to Amend the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, to Designate Certain 



Lands in the Tongass National Forest as Wilderness, and for Other Purposes: Hearing s on 

 H.R. 987 Befor e the Subcomm. on Water, Power, and Offshore Energy Resources qfthe 

 House.Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs, 101st Cong., 1st Sess. (1989). 



"One of the questions that has been raised relates to whether the cancellation of the long-term 

 contracts with Alaska Pulp and Louisiana Pacific would put the pulp mills out of business. I think 

 it is important to understand that that is certainly not my intent as primary sponsor of the legislation. 

 Certainly there would be plenty of available timber, regardless of whether this legislation passes -- 

 if this legislation were to pass ~ available timber for use by the pulp mills." M- at 12 (statement 

 of Rep. Mrazek). 



"Finally, 1 want to suggest that the questions that have been raised by the Alaska delegation, 

 as to whether this legislation is intended to drive the timber industry out of business inside Alaska, 

 I would like to state for the record and for the people who live in southeast Alaska that I think there 

 can be a harmonious relationship between commercial fishing, tourism and the timber industry." 

 Id. at 12 (statement of Rep. Mrazek). 



"First let me say that we're as concerned as anyone ii^Jhis room with the need to maintain 

 a healthy economy and a stable timber industry in southeast Alaska." Id. at 22 (statement of Larry 

 Edwards, SEACC). 



',/ 







'"If all 22 areas in H.R. 987 are permanently protected, the legislation would reduce the \ r 



scheduled timber harvest by only 1 1 percent. That still provides enough timber for the Tongass- \ ^J- 

 dependent timber industry to continue at current levels and even to expand." Id. at 23 (statement i 

 of Larry Edwards, SEACC). J 



" H.R. 987 IS JOB NEUTRAL . Passage of H.R. 987 will have no effect on the number of \ 

 jobs in the Tongass-dependent timber industry of southeast Alaska." Id. at 56 (statement of Larry 

 Edwards, SEACC). 



Rep. Young: "What happens if [the Sitka] mill shuts down? 



Lany Edwards: "It's not going to. I mean, we're not going to affect the timber base." Id- 

 at 77. 



"The timber industry is also an important source of renewable resource income in southeast 

 Alaska. Many of our friends and even commercial fishermen are involved in the forest products 

 industry and we want them to be provided the opportunity to make a living." Id. at 607 (statement 

 of Earl E. Krygler, Alaska Trollers Association). 



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