48 

 Senator Wirth. Cheri Davis. 



STATEMENT OF CHERI L. DAVIS, ALASKA STATE HOUSE OF 



REPRESENTATIVES 



Ms. Davis. Thank you. 



I am here representing myself, not myself but Senator Lloyd 

 Jones who is unable to be here. He is in Juneau fighting for our 

 ferry system, which is another vital issue to this area. I will submit 

 his testimony for the record also, in addition to mine and thank 

 you for the opportunity to testify on the future of the Tongass Na- 

 tional Forest. 



Thirteen years ago, this July, I came to the Ketchikan High 

 School Auditorium to testify before the Environmental Protection 

 Agency and members of Congress about the need for jobs in Ketchi- 

 kan. At that time I was a young housewife with three small chil- 

 dren, an unemployed husband and no political background whatso- 

 ever. 



I was simply a concerned citizen. At that time we were in danger 

 of closing down an industry that is vital to this area. Again, I 

 appear in the Ketchikan High School Auditorium, my children are 

 older, my husband is employed and I have become somewhat in- 

 volved in politics. However, the issue has not changed? I am here 

 to discuss the future of the Tongass National Forest and the timber 

 industry it supports. 



I believe that outside of our state there is a perception that Alas- 

 kans are more concerned with the money than with our environ- 

 ment. I disagree. I live in Alaska primarily because of the beauty 

 of our state. In order to live here however we must have jobs. The 

 timber industry in the Tongass employees 4,000 people directly and 

 indirectly. If this industry is shut down by decisions made in Wash- 

 ington, D.C., who will provide these jobs? 



I believe that Alaskans can best decide Alaska's fate and I am 

 fascinated by campaigns of congressmen in New York and Colorado 

 which focus on improving someone else's state. I cannot imagine 

 winning my campaign if I were to have a platform of what I am 

 going to do to improve Juneau. 



When any new development is proposed in our state, we are re- 

 quired to do an E.I.S. — Environmental Impact Statement. I would 

 like to propose that if Congress contemplates changes in the man- 

 agement of the Tongass that we request an Economic Impact State- 

 ment. If the legislation you pass is too restrictive to allow the pulp 

 companies to continue to operate, then I propose that we adopt a 

 slogan modeled after a billboard seen outside of Seattle years ago: 

 "Will the last person leaving southeast Alaska please turn out the 

 lights?" 



Thank you very much. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much, Ms. Davis. 



[The prepared statements of Ms. Davis and Senator Jones follow:] 



