35 



has had an extremely positive effect on the morale and productivity 

 and team work of the Forest Service employees on the local level. 



There also appears to be a much greater atmosphere of coopera- 

 tion. Both industry and agency are aware that their actions will be 

 closely scrutinized. They have to do a good job because their future 

 depends upon it, as does the future of our habitat. 



These observations have been echoed by various district rangers. 

 They have no doubt that current activities would have been held 

 up by appeals as a matter of course. Some groups do submit iden- 

 tical appeals on every project. Not having to deal with such tactics 

 has allowed the agency at the local level to provide a higher quality 

 of work in less time to utilize their professional judgment. 



Relative to the accusation that current law allows lawless log- 

 ging, our observations are contrary. And you can read in my writ- 

 ten testimony just what our observations were and how contrary 

 they are. 



I would like to conclude quickly that at least in western Montana 

 and northern Idaho the program has been a resounding success, as 

 witnessed by increased utilization of valuable resources, improved 

 forest health, reduced threat of catastrophic fires, substantial fi- 

 nancial return to both local and U.S. Government, substantial in- 

 crease in raw materials desperately needed by forest-dependent 

 communities, increased deficiency and morale among Forest Serv- 

 ice personnel, and all of this without a reduction in sensitivity to 

 the environment. 



Our governor of Montana, Marc Racicot, for whom I have a very 

 high amount of respect, has concurred with this assessment and 

 has suggested that we jointly seek even more opportunities to re- 

 verse bureaucratic impulse and simplify, not complicate, the quest 

 for responsible management and programs that can better satisfy 

 national interests and local needs. Thank you. 



[Statement of Mr. Williams may be found at end of hearing.] 



Mr. Hansen. Thank you, Mr. Williams. Mr. Bennett. 



STATEMENT OF MATT BENNETT, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES, 

 EMMET VAUGHN LUMBER COMPANY 



Mr. Bennett. Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, 

 my name is Matt Bennett, and I am testifying today on behalf of 

 the Southern Timber Purchasers Council and the Tennessee For- 

 estry Association. I want to thank you for this opportunity to tes- 

 tify regarding the Forest Service administrative appeals process. 



It is the point of my testimony to show that the process, however 

 well intended, has become dysfunctional agency policy. This policy 

 results in unnecessary delays and costly expenditures of taxpayer 

 dollars that could be more wisely spent on perhaps trail mainte- 

 nance, wildlife habitat, or protecting forest health. 



Let me offer an example of how time consuming and expensive 

 forest plan appeals have become. In 1979, the Forest Service began 

 efforts to draft a forest plan for the Cherokee National Forest in 

 Tennessee. After seven years, the plan was approved. However, 28 

 days later, the plan was appealed. 



Appeal issues were national issues or national disputes that ex- 

 tended beyond the scope of the forest planning process. Instead of 

 using appeals to address local management disagreements, the 



