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approximately 17 miles southeast of Ketchil<an. Approximately 

 1,200 of our 2,000 members live tliere. Most of tlie lands adjacent 

 to our reserve are part of the Tongass National Forest. 



Our people are primarily fishermen. We have operated our 

 own cannery for 75 years. Unfortunately, the fishing industry 

 provides only seasonal employment. The only full-time jobs for 

 our people, other than government jobs, are associated with the 

 t imber i ndust ry . 



Our Community owns a sawmill which it leases to Ketchikan 

 Pulp Company. The mill processes approximately 100 million board 

 feet of timber annually. Nearly 100 full-time, year around jobs 

 are available at the mill. Seventy-nine of those jobs presently 

 are held by tribal members. The mill has an estimated annual 

 payroll of $4,000,000. In addition, its lease payments to the 

 Community mal<e up 10% of our municipal revenues. The mill makes 

 purchases in our Community which total well over $1,000,000. a 

 year . 



We believe S.3't5 could destroy this valuable economic 

 resource. Much evidence is before Congress showing how pulp 

 mills and sawmills in Southeastern Alaska are mutually dependent 

 on one another. The mill on our reserve could not operate profit- 

 ably without the presence of the pulp mill in Ketchikan to take 

 Its chips and residual pulp grade wood. A threat to the pulp 

 industry in Southeastern Alaska is a threat to our sawmill. 



This is not to say we oppose rational planning and approp- 

 riate balancing of interests in forest management. We, too, 

 are concerned about wildlife and especially fish habitat. The 

 planning in progress under the National Forest Management Act of 

 1976 is a sane, balanced and comprehensive approach to forest 

 policy development. It should be allowed to continue. S.S'tG 

 would halt this process in favor of a wilderness bill. 



The bases for our opposition are as follows: 

 1) ECONOMIC HARM : The direct and indirect economic impacts 

 of the demise of the mill are frightening for us to comtemplate. 

 We must oppose any effort that so seriously jeopardizes 100 year 

 around jobs in Metlakatla. Our unemployment rate stays at approx- 

 imately 35%. Jobs offered by the mill represent fully 20% of the 



