234 



for a second growth timber industry in the Tonaqss is purely hypathetical. 

 With the supposed 100 to 150 year rotations, the Tongass is competing with 

 pulp trees grown in 15 to 30 years in other parts of the U.S. So far second 

 growth management has consisted of a mere 10% of all clearcuts receiving 

 thinning. The remaining 90% is left waiting for costly management funds 

 in a time of a growing federal budget deficet. 



The second growth forest (alias "the healthy new trees") is decidedly 

 unhealthy for wildlife. Fish, birds, deer, and bears suffer in this sterile 

 altered enviroraent. Sitka black tail deer, an indicator species for envir- 

 omental impact studies and a heavily relied on subsistance food, will suffer 

 astounding losses. On the northern end of Prince of Wales Island, 79% of 

 the federal lands are being clearctft, by the end of the first 100 year 

 rotation an estimated 92% of the deer population will be lost. The Forest 

 Service bioligist admitted at a recent meeting in Pt. Baker that deer habitat 

 on N. Prince of Wales "would be in shambles in the next 20 years", yet in 

 the next breath, the USPS showed residents jumbo new clearcuts planned for 

 the next 10 years which would clearly impact habitat further. Such ironies 

 plague the management of the Tongass. 



While sound enviromental policies are not a criteria in the current 

 Tongass management scheme neither are sound economics. East Kuiu, an area 

 valued highly for it's fisheries resources, abondant wildlife, and water- 

 fowl is in the APC contract area. In order to access timber for the meager 

 stumpage return from APC of $262,060, the Forest Service proposed the building 

 of 15 miles of road and a terminal transportation facility, with the price 

 tag of 3.85 million taxpayer dollars. That's a loss to taxpayers of $3,587,940 

 to benefit APC. APC, a Tokyo based Japanese corporation was convicted in the 

 1980 Reid Bros. Case of driving small loggers out of business, monopoly, 

 antitrust, and defrauding the goverment out of millions of dollars. In times 

 of trillion dollar deficets, the USFS is exercising no fiscal restraint 

 inthe Tongass. It is time the USFS becomes accountable for its expenditures 

 and returns to the scrutiny of the congressional appropriations process. 



In regards to the terminal transportation facility in No Name Bay 

 and the 15 miles of road on E. Kuiu, the USFS held a public meeting in Pt. 

 Bakerin Jan. of 1987, to supposedly allow residents to voice concerns. 

 Despite the fact the comment period was still officially open,, the USFS 

 informed residents that they had already made up their minds to construct 

 the facilities. So in fact, public input was being solicited as a techni- 

 cality, and had no hearing on the <leri.sion making process. Under the rifiid 

 constraints of the ^450 mandate and the 50 year contracts, this is a common 



