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For the past two years, as a member of the Natural Resources Task Force of the 

 Presidents Council on Sustainable Development, 1 have met with community 

 leaders from all over the Western United States, where people arc facing the 

 same issues we are addressing here in Ketchikan. I can report to you that more 

 and more communities are realizing that sustaining a high quality of life 

 depends equally upon economic stability, environmental proicclion, and social 

 justice. This contract, written over four decades ago. fsils this test of 

 sustainabiUty by every measure; it assumes that our forests can be clfrar-cut 

 forever, it forces us to manage wildlife without consideration of habitat, it 

 eliminates competition within the industry and eliminates the use of th« 

 resource by more sustainable industries, and it ignores both the physical and 

 financial impacts that highly toxic wastes have on all living things. 



Mr. Chairman, we are blessed to have the natural resources, the financial capital, 

 and the skilled labor force needed to fulfill the fundamental needs of everyone 

 here today. This community is now at a crossroads — one path leads to a 

 cooperative future, the other a return to the political polarization of the past. 

 We Sincerely hope you will assist us in moving forward together. 



Thank you for the opportunity to address your Committee on this most 

 important issue. 



Sincerely, 



(br5«^v-5/Lr Cc=.^-^-^ 



Gershon Cohen 

 Executive Director 



