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automatically authorizes $40 million a year to the Forest Service to make 

 enough timber available to sustain the timber industry. It makes the 

 appropriation to the Forest Service in Alaska subject to annual 

 congressional review and appropriation. I understand this already has been 

 accomplished at least for two years in other legislation. The Southeastern 

 Conference, a coalition of communities, chambers of commerce and Native 

 corporations, and other groups ask that the $40 million be appropriated 

 annually and that it also go to developing other resources. I support any 

 added funds to Alaska but believe Murkowski's bill has the best chance for 

 approval. 



Otiier Tongass timber issues are not covered in Murkowski's bill and are 

 best left as they are. 



Cancelling tiie long term sales will take more time and money than its 

 worth. There are only ten years left on the Ketchikan Pulp Company 's 

 50-year sale. 



There are only ten years left because the next tive year cutting plan has 

 been agreed to and the final EIS is due out this month. That plan carries 

 KPC until 1994. The contract expires June 30, 2004. The Alaska Pulp 

 Corporation contract is only six years longer. The conti^acts are currently 

 being renegotiated without the need for legislation. It's more appropriate 

 to determine where timber will be cut in the final 10-16 years of tiie 

 contract, if any action is wanranted, and where timber will be harvested 

 in the final 50 years of the 100-year sustained yield cutting cycle. 



Keeping the harvest level at 4.5 billion board feet per decade is important. 

 Aitiiough 450 million feet per year weren't harvested during the mid 80s 

 because of a poor timber market nationwide, tiie timber was cruised and 

 is available now during the boom years. It cost the Forest Service $12.6 

 million a year to administer its timber program so it lost money during 

 the poor years. This year however, Ketchikan Pulp Company alone will pay 

 the Forest Service over $1 million for stumage. If s logical that Alaska 

 Pulp Corporation and other harvesters will pay more so the taxpayers will 

 obtain a return on their investment in ttie Tongass. Legislatively reducing 

 that han/est now is not In anyone's best interest. The Soutiieast 

 Conference, whose plan is endorsed by the governor, also supports 

 retaining the 4.5 billion per decade and the long term sales. 



Where legislation calls for setting aside 23 areas totaling 1 .8 million 

 acres from logging or as wilderness, the setaside is unneeded and the 

 wildemess idea is impractical, unless our only interest in life is 

 wilderness. No logging is scheduled for those areas. They are being 

 considered for other uses by the Forest Service in its revision of the 



