84 



Tongass Land Use Management Plan. That congressionally mandated update 

 will be out in draft fomn this spring or summer. As a member of the 

 state's advisory commission on federal areas, I've seen the working draft 

 of the revision ~ if s public record. Under the revision, the Forest Service 

 is following new, more detailed designation of uses for national forests. 

 Where the old plan designated areas of the forest on one of four 

 classifications LUD I (wilderness) to LUD IV (full development), the new 

 plan designates 24 types of uses including wilderness, scenic, wildlife, 

 fisheries, timber. Although Forest Service officials have said that 

 subsistence uses will be considered in all 24 of the new classifications, 

 our state commission has suggested that a 25th priority, subsistence use, 

 be added. 



It would be beneficial for the Congress to be briefed by the Forest Service 

 planner team before arbitarily legislating more wilderness or other land 

 uses in the Tongass. 



It apppears that Tongass legislation is inappropriate at this time, or if 

 some is passed the revision purposed by the Alaska congressional 

 delegation be enacted. 



