56 



The wolf provides a good example of how the contract threatens 

 viability. Although hunting and trapping occurs in the Tongass, 

 logging and road building provide major threats. The wolf survives 

 by eating deer, which in turn depend on the diverse plant commu- 

 nity of old-growth forests. Stands with large trees are critical in 

 hard winters because the crowns intercept snow, making travel and 

 feeding easier. Clearcuts not only hinder deer movement in the 

 winter, but also eventually destroys the forage because even aged 

 trees grow completely shading the forest floor. It takes 200 to 250 

 years for old-growth forests to reestablish themselves, and in the 

 interim the deer slowly disappear, and so does its predator, the 

 wolf. 



Defenders has sympathy for anyone whose livelihood would be 

 affected by the non-extension of the KPC contract, but there are 

 thousands of employers throughout the country which also depend 

 on timber supplies that don't get this special deal. And many of 

 these employers are dependent upon resources that don't have a 

 fraction of the ecological importance and national significance that 

 the Tongass has. As discussed by the panelists, there are alter- 

 natives which would be much less resource-intensive and run by 

 companies without abysmal records of pollution and contract viola- 

 tions. 



The argument that the company needs this contract in order to 

 make necessary improvements to comply with environmental laws 

 is outrageous. KPC has had years to make the necessary changes 

 and declined to do so. So for this they shouldn't be rewarded by a 

 bail-out, as represented by this bill. 



Logging in one of the ifVmerican people's most important and val- 

 uable forests is a privilege, and it is important that it be done 

 through the accepted forest planning and management process. 

 The KPC contract must be considered as part of TLMP, not as a 

 separate initiative which ignores the scientific analysis, ecological 

 effects, and years of public input. For that reason, as well as the 

 incalculable adverse effects on wildlife and wildlife habitat, we 

 strongly oppose H.R. 3659. 



Thank you. 



The Chairman. Brian, you are up. 



STATEMENT OF BRIAN O'DONNELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 

 ALASKA WILDERNESS LEAGUE, WASHINGTON, D.C. 



Mr. O'DONNELL. Hello, my name is Brian O'Donnell. I am the 

 Executive Director of the Alaska Wilderness League. Mr. Chair- 

 man, thank you for the opportunity to share the views of the Alas- 

 ka Wilderness League regarding the proposed extension of the con- 

 tract between Ketchikan Pulp Company and the U.S. Forest Serv- 

 ice. 



The Alaska Wilderness League is a nonprofit organization found- 

 ed in 1993 to further the protection of Alaska's incomparable natu- 

 ral endowment. One of our primary concerns is the sustainable fu- 

 ture of Alaska's rainforest. 



The current legislation is of great concern to the Alaska Wilder- 

 ness League. We believe that H.R. 3659 will cause irreparable 

 damage to the wilderness values of the Tongass National Forest. 

 Congress should not only refuse to grant a 15-year contract exten- 



