119 



agement of the Tongass. That is language from the Forest Service 

 itself. 



The contracts have resulted in antitrust actions and allowed 

 other abuses of the public trust. The two contracts should be termi- 

 nated and replaced with normal timber sale contracts allowing 

 competitively bid sales. 



Section 202 of S. 346 would greatly improve the planning process 

 and help avoid confrontations. The approach taken in S. 346 is so 

 good that, in fact, we wish we had thought of it ourselves, and we 

 commend Senator Wirth for his astute insight into management 

 problems on the Tongass. 



It is with reluctance that I conclude by respectfully stating that 

 S. 237, introduced by Senator Murkowski, does nothing more than 

 further entrench the status quo on the Tongass. This bill elimi- 

 nates the $40 million automatic annual appropriation, but Con- 

 gress has already accomplished that procedurally for the past two 

 years. 



More importantly, S. 237 locks in the 4.5 billion board foot 

 timber harvest goal even tighter than now by legislating a perma- 

 nent allowable sale quantity. S. 237 will actually aggravate the 

 problems on the Tongass. 



Mr. Murkowski, for many years Alaskans have called for com- 

 prehensive Tongass reform, especially removal of the 4.5 billion 

 board foot per decade harvest goal. I would like to submit for the 

 record resolutions opposing the 4.5 from 16 communities, our re- 

 gional commercial fishing groups and United Fishermen for 

 Alaska, the Tongass Tourism and Recreation Association, Alaska's 

 Responsible Resource Management, the Southeast Regional Fish 

 and Game Council, and the Alaskan Native Brotherhood. ^ 



Mr. Edwards. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I urge your commit- 

 tee and the U.S. Senate to give solid support to Senator Wirth's S. 

 346 and to strengthen it by establishing permanent protection for 

 the 23 areas. It is a good bill for southeast Alaska and a good bill 

 for the national interest. 



Also I would like, if I may, to introduce testimony given to me 

 this morning by the Wilderness Society for the record. 



Senator Murkowski. It will be entered into the record. 



Mr. Edwards. I thank you for holding these hearings and for in- 

 viting SEACC to testify. I will be happy to answer any questions. 



[The prepared statements of Mr. Edwards and Mr. Nelson 

 follow:] 



Material submitted was retained in subcommittee files. 



