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timber industry. The state would be opposed to any moratorium 

 which disrupted field operations during the planning period to the 

 extent that it caused significant reduction employment. 



To the extent the timber purchasers have relied upon commit- 

 ments by the Forest Service, there also may be private claims of 

 breach of contract. 



Last year the Forest Service did an analysis of 19 of 23 of these 

 areas, and the results of that indicated that five of them were 

 scheduled for operations in the next five years. There may be a 

 possible way of adjusting the boundary of these areas to eliminate 

 acreage where there is a direct conflict during the next five years. 



We would also add if all of these areas were permanently with- 

 drawn from the timber base it would have a greater and long-term 

 effect. It would magnify conflicts between user groups on the lands 

 which remain in the timber base, and it would also force additional 

 pressure on the independent sales because 300 millon board feet 

 are committed by contract to the long-term contract holders. 



To conclude, the state believes that the Tongass National Forest 

 can and should be managed so that the many competing uses may 

 co-exist. We believe that in attempting to balance land uses in the 

 Tongass, S. 346 imposes an unacceptable degree of uncertainty on 

 the dependent timber industry. We are hopeful, however, that we 

 can develop an approach that is acceptable to the many people who 

 use and are concerned with management of the Tongass National 

 Forest. 



Thank you. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Laschever follows:] 



