54 



Wrangell, Petersburg, Hyder, Myers Chuck, Sitka, built on the last frontier, would 

 become ghost towns. 



The State of Alaska has seen hard economic times in recent years. But 

 here in Southern Southeast, residents continue to remain relatively stable. The 

 diversity of jobs in the area is a big factor. Rshing. mineral development, 

 timber, and tourism depend on the natural resources found here. These 

 industries drive the economy in Southern Southeast. Each contributes to the 

 economic pie. If one industry topples, the pinch is felt everywhere, especially if 

 families move, in search of new employment. The loss of jobs is felt in the 

 decrease of the town's tax base, school population, housing mart<et, all the 

 way down to the volume of groceries bought and sold in the supermarket. 

 The towns in Southern Southeast Alaska are already small. It only takes the loss 

 of a few jobs to upset the apple cart. 



Congress passed the Tongass Timber Act in 1947 authorizing timber soles 

 in the Tongass National Forest. This was done to provide year-round 

 employment in Southeast Alaska. In 1971, when Congress passed the Alaska 

 Native Claims Settlement Act, it sought to increase jobs in the timber industry in 

 Southeast Alaska by allowing the selection of 23,000 acres of land from the 

 Tongass National Forest by Native villages, and over 250,000 acres of 

 commercial forest land by Native Regional Corporations. In 1976, Congress 

 reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining timber jobs in the Tongass National 

 Forest when It passed the National Forest Management Act. Further, the clear 

 intent of Congress when it passed Sec. 705 of ANILCA was to maintain 

 employment in the timber industry at the same level as before the passage of 

 the act. 



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