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Bumpers Q&A 4/3 



invested in performing the contracts which have not yet t)een amortized or otherwise fully recovered 

 as of the date of cancellation to be a part of compensation due. Road and other transportation system 

 construction costs for harvest not yet completed under the contracts currently is estimated to equal 

 about $2.5 million, for instance. 



The companies themselves have provided congressional committees with estimates for compensation 

 far greater than the above amounts. We do not agree with these estimates but have not had the 

 opportunity to review them in detail. The extent to which the companies would prevail in court in 

 establishing entitlement to the amounts they claim remains unknown. 



QUESTION 7. If Congress chooses to terminate the 50-year contracts, would you have the authority under 

 existing law to implement a program of short-term, competitively bid sales sufficient to meet the mills needs? 



ANSWER: Yes. Whether sales would be sufficient to meet the mills needs would depend on factors 

 such as maintenance of a sufficient timber base. The mills, however, are only one segment of the 

 Southeast Alaska timber industry. Maintenance of existing levels of timber industry employment would 

 require not only a sufficient land base, but also appropriations sufficient to continue the added 

 investment program, as outlined in the Tongass Land Management-Plan of 1979. 



LOGGING MORATORIUM AREAS (S. 346) 



QUESTION 1 . How much would removal of the 23 moratorium areas reduce the current 4.5 billion board foot 

 capacity of the forest-on an annual basis? 



ANSWER: About 54 MMBF per year. In addition, the moratorium areas would further reduce the 

 allowable sale quantity (ASQ) by about 15-20 MMBF per year, mostly by isolating certain value 

 comparison units (VCU) because of restricted road access. 



In 10 years, the reduction would be 540 MMBF plus 150-200 MMBF for isolating certain VCU's and 

 restricting road access. 



QUESTION 2. Would protecting these areas in a temporary moratorium until the TLMP revision in the early 

 1 990's prevent you from meeting industry timber demand? 



ANSWER: Quite likely. Sawlog harvest on the Tongass is predicted to increase from 331 MMBF in FY 

 1988 to more than 400 MMBF in FY 1992. Based on these projections and the estimated reductions 

 as a result of the proposed moratorium areas, it is unlikely that sawlog demand could be met. 

 QUESTION 3. Do any of these 23 areas contain currently approved timber sales? 



ANSWER: Yes, some approved timber sales in APC's 1 986-90 Operating Plan are within the 23 areas. 



QUESTION 4. Do you have any plans to offer timber sales in these areas before the TLMP revision is finalized? 

 Which specific areas? 



ANSWER: Yes, current plans call for two short-term sales in the West Duncan Canal area. The South 

 Kuiu and Chichagof areas would in all likelihood contain potential harvest units for APC's 1991-95 

 Operating Plan. 



QUESTION 5. During revision of the Tongass forest plan, will you be able to come up with better management 

 prescriptions for these 23 areas-protecting their fish and wildlife values more than current classification? 



ANSWER: Fish and wildlife resources are being protected under existing management direction. 

 However, the revision will address the fish and wildlife resources, as well as other resources, more 



