296 



-3- 



QUESTION 2. WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE 23 MORATORIUM AREAS IN 

 S. 367? 



The 23 moratorium .sreas possess special values that are of 

 great importance to the people of Southeast Alaska and citizens 

 throughout the United States. Each of the 23 areas was 

 identified because of its importance for either fish and wildlife 

 hribitat. subsistence, tourism, or recreation values. Many were 

 identified by rural communities dependent on the area's nontimber 

 resources for economic stability and/or maintaining a traditional 

 way of life. Several of the areas have been proposed by local 

 folks for Wilderness for more than 15 years, and almost all of 

 the areas have been supported for Wilderness for at least ten 

 years now. Each and every area is important and deserves 

 permanent protection by law. 



Twelve of the areas have been identified by the Alaska 

 Department of Fish and Game as 'Cldss I" — recommended for 

 permanent protection from logging and roads because of their high 

 habitat value. A number of our region's top producing salmon 

 streams are included in the moratorium list. These key fisheries 

 have been under repeated attack from Forest Service logging and 

 road building plans as a result of the 4.5 and 50-year contracts. 

 Kadashan. Chuck. Nutkwa . Lisianski and other key river systems 

 are known locally as "million dollar fisheries" because they 

 produce millions of dollars of fish, year in and year out. with 

 little or no public expense. Keeping these critical watersheds 

 intact makes the best long term economic and common sense. 



We have already submitted a copy of our "lands protection 

 proposal" for inclusion in the official printed hearing record. 

 Additionally, we are enclosing information compiled on the 23 by 

 the Alaska Dept . of Fish and Game at the request of the House 

 Interior Committee on March 14. 1989. We request that this 

 summary be included in the printed hearing record. 



QUESTION 3. IS TERMINATING THE 50-YEAR CONTRACTS REALLY JUST AN 

 EFFORT TO SHUT DOWN THE PULP MILLS? 



No. SEACC recognizes that timber harvest is a significant 

 part of our regions overall economy. 



S. 346 will simply change the procedure by which government 

 supplies timber to the two pulp mills. Competition in the 

 industry and Forest Service management will benefit immeasurably. 

 Rather than harming the Southeast Alaska timber industry, it will 

 be strengthened in the long run. 



Such an action would allow normal management flexibility for 

 land allocations, would promote competitive bidding for all the 

 Tongass timber, and allow protection of key iisYi and wildlife 

 habitat areas and subsistence resources. The two pulp mills 

 would still be able to buy timber, out they would no longer be 

 allowed to use their long-term contracts to totally dominate 



