378 



The Southeast Conference has determined that no industry as 

 aforementioned is safe or potentially stable until the Tongass issues 

 are resolved. Therefore, the committee has ferreted out the maior 

 underlying interests of the communities and through principled 

 negotiation, developed a proposed resolution to the manor conflicts. 



The vast expanse of land and natural resources in the Tongass are 

 both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, wilderness, personal 

 freedom and unlimited opportunity are available to anyone. On the 

 other, the outstanding natural beauty, the relatively small 

 population and the widely held mistrust of development invites 

 congressional intervention. In the Tongass we have an inter- 

 dependent, fragile economy. Legislation being considered by Congress 

 couid weaken this fabric. It could start a chain reaction resulting 

 in serious regional recession and economic de-stabi 1 i zat ion . It 

 could cause multiple-use areas to become one-industry towns. 



The Southeast Conference has a vested interest in assuring that when 

 the dust clears in Washington D.C.. there will be no winners or 

 losers m the Tongass. The Southeast Conference has developed this 

 position through a principled negotiaticr process involving 

 representatives of communities and interests from throughout 

 Southeast. It is fair, reasonable, and critical to all Alaskans. 



-5- 



