79 



CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES 

 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



Washington, d.c. 20515 



robert j. mrazek committee on 



3I1D DisTRici Nt«vyoi<« APPROPRIATIONS 



WHIP AT LARGE 



Testimony of Robert J. Mrazek 



Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 



Subcommittee on Public Lands, 

 National Parks and Forests 



February 28, 1989 



Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to testify in favor of S. 

 316, companion legislation to H.R. 987, the Tongass Timber Reform Act. I have 

 reintroduced this bill with the support of over 100 of my colleagues. This 

 comprehensive reform package will enable prudent management of our nation's 

 largest national forest, will save the American taxpayer billions of dollars 

 and will preserve an ecosystem of incalculable value. 



Last July, the House sent a strong message to the U.S. Forest Service 

 (USFS) and the two major timber operators In the Tongass by passing H.R. 1516 

 by an overwhelming margin of 361-47. Members voted to significantly reduce 

 the federal deficit and to protect one of the last rain forests In the world's 

 temperate latitudes at the same time. 



The Tongass is home to the greatest concentration of bald eagles and 

 grizzly bears in the world. Its streams provide the spawning grounds for 

 salmon that is vital to the economy of Alaska. Perhaps more important to the 

 future of the State's economy is the rapidly growing number of tourists who 

 come to the Tongass to experience its spectacular wilderness. As John Muir 

 described it more than 100 years ago, "the Tongass is a place of endless 

 rhythm and beauty". 



In addition to the need to manage this forest in an environmentally sound 

 way, we must change policy in order to end the loss of taxpayer dollars. The 

 USFS Is wasting tens of millions of taxpayer dollars each year on a timber 

 program that cannot accompllah its stated goal of preserving timber Industry 

 Jobs. 



During years of strongest timber demand and prior to the passage of the 

 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), the USFS lost 

 millions of dollars selling timber from the Tongass. Because of the 

 deteriorated market conditions and high levels of USFS spending since Congress 

 handed the Tongass timber program an open-ended permanent appropriation, a 

 virtual blank check, taxpayer losses have skyrocketed. 



Net Tongass timber-program receipts and expenditures for 1977 through 

 1986 are negative over the entire ten-year period, resulting in a total loss 

 of more than $360 million. In fact, annual net receipts are consistently 

 negative even if one completely ignores the timber program's capital costs, 

 such as roads, bridges and facilities. In fact, the Tongass timber progreun 

 lost 91 cents on every taxpayer dollar spent in 1983 and 93 cents In 1984. In 



143 MAIN STREET. HUNTINGTON. N Y 11743 • TELEPHONE: NASSAU (5161 671 8300, SUFFOLK (516) 673-6500 



