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brought before you to be tailored in a way most advantageous to 

 the environmental community, and we believe this would be a mis- 

 take. 



In summary, it would be wrong to say that the timber industry is 

 happy about the proposed loss of the intensive management monies 

 being provided through the Tongass Timber Supply Fund. We are 

 concerned that we will fight the Tongass battle year in and year 

 out in front of the Appropriations Committee as a result of this 

 change. 



We have been working on this legislation, however, long enough 

 in Washington to realize that in a time of budget cuts for the rest 

 of the country the actual Tongass appropriation is going to have to 

 be treated like every other national forest. 



Accordingly, we support the proposal made by our delegation 

 notwithstanding our concerns. The Alaska delegation bill proposes 

 mid-course correction in the Tongass program but does not throw 

 out the baby with the bath water. It allows continuation of the 

 Tongass land management plan which has been ongoing for two 

 years on which the government has already spent $5 million. It is 

 thus clearly far superior to every other piece of legislation that has 

 been proposed. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Finney follows:] 



