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the increased costs of bringing more marginal timber 

 into the timber shceduled for hairvest would be subject 

 to annual review by the Congress. (S.Hrg. 100-548, 

 page 490) . 



And, in fact, through actions of this Committee under a provision 



of the Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, Tongass appropriations in FY89 and 



FY90 were temporarily brought under the regular appropriations process -- 



exactly in the way in which the Tongass would be treated under S.346. The 



Tongass timber program was maintained at more than adequate levels. Despite 



the dire predictions made by the pulp mills of the effects of allowing 



Congress to annually review the Forest Service budget, even the Alaska 



Senators have introduced legislation to restore Tongass budgets to the normal 



appropriations process. 



THE 4.5 BILLION BOARD FOOT PER DECADE TIMBER SUPPLY GOAL IS ENVIRONMENTALLY 

 UNSOUND. Economics aside, the "450" timber supply goal simply is not 

 sustainable over the long-term without severe loss and impairment of critical 

 fish and wildlife habitat. The current Tongass Land Management Plan, based on 

 the 4.5 billion board feet per decade timber supply goal, calls for the annual 

 clearcutting of 17,000 acres and construction of 285 miles of new roads each 

 year. This will result in disruption of the subsistence economy and way of 

 life, along with harsh impacts on sport hunting and fishing, tourism, 

 commercial fishing, and recreation. 



As a result of Sec. 705(a), the Forest Service has pursued the 

 Tongass timber supply goal as if it were a mandate. This has resulted in the 

 Tongass being managed in violation of the agency's own guidelines and 

 policies, as well as federal laws. The current Tongass timber program has 



