211 



A RESOLUTION FROM FRIENDS OF SOUTMEASFS FUTURE 

 OPPOSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT TIMBER CONTRACT 



EXTENSION ACT 



BILLS S.1877 & H.R. 36«9. OR , THE 16-YEAR CONTTMCT EXTENSION 



FOR LOUISIANA PAaRC'S KETCHIKAN PULP COMPANY 



VWHEREAS, the 50-ye«r contract currently enjoyod by Louisiana Paafic's 

 KetchJkan Pulp Company (LPK) gives LPKan unfair mari<et 

 advantage over other timt)er Ixieinesses and exdusive rights to 

 trnber resources: and 



WHEREAS, the terms of tt>e current contract were rtegotiated in 1954 and are 

 entirely inappropriate in today's natural resource and market 

 conditions in Southeast Alaska and 



WHEREAS, aBowng LPK timber operations a priority on the Tongass National 



Forest is inconsistent with multiple use princptes ttiat provide for 

 subsistence, tourism, irxlependent timtjer operators, and adequate 

 fish and wildrife habitat and 



WHEREAS, the obligatory supply of timber to fulfUl LPK's remaining contract will 

 be taken from the northern Tongass, an area not in tfw original 

 contract area arvl is indicative of unsustainable logging practices; 

 and 



WHEREAS, the ecorK>mic base of the northern Tongass includes oommerctal 

 and sport fishing, recreation, tourism, and subsistence hunting and 

 fishing vvhich wil be damaged if the level of logging allowed under 

 the current contract spreads to the rxirihem Tongass; and 



WHEREAS, LPK was corrvicted in 1995 of a felony and 13 misdemeanors for 

 violating the Clean Water Act; and 



WHEREAS, LPK was convKted in 1 963 of violating dvil anti-trust laws ar>d 



driving 102 smaH independent timt>er operators out of business in 

 Southeast Alaska; and 



WHEREAS, the long-term ecorK>mic diversity arxJ stability of Southeast Alaska 

 will be damaged by the proposed 1 5-year extension of LPtCs 

 timt>er contract, and 



WHEREAS, 1 .698 Sitkans. out of 3.400 voters, voted in October, 1995, to end 

 clearcutting in the Sitka Local Use Area: and 



26-689 - 96 - 8 



