240 



Mr. Mehrkins. There are questions about the costs that I am 

 talking about as being the fact that these roads under the system 

 would be amortized over a period of about 250 years when the 

 useful life would be only 30. Now GAO has recognized the fact that 

 that is a problem and that is kind of like trying to build Washing- 

 ton, but not amortizing the cost today and recognition of those 

 problems to GAO is in the Forest Service. I might add, having 

 looked at the costs, the polling techniques used to — have led us to 

 believe that they are speaking from. 



Senator Murkowski. Well I would be happy to share with you 

 the information that I have if we could pursue it. 



Mr. Chairman, I'd like to introduce for the record the Employ- 

 ment Summary of the Southeast Timber Industry in 1988 from the 

 Department of Labor showing the logging, 2,064 jobs, 501 in saw- 

 mills, 182 in pulp for Department of Labor total of 3,447, a 17 per- 

 cent increase over 1987, plus additional direct jobs not included in 

 the Department of Labor's total for the 3,447. These include 296 

 Longshoring, 95 towing, 150 road construction, 435 in Forest Serv- 

 ice. This bring according to the Department of Labor 4,423 direct 

 jobs and I would ask that that be entered into the record as well as 

 the 1988 Fiscal Year Production Figures for the Regional Office of 

 the U.S. Forest Service and I seem to be getting a lot of informa- 

 tion at Sitka and it is U.S. Forest Service figures. Fiscal 1988, Har- 

 vests and Imports from Southeastern Alaska follows for the year. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Senator Wirth. Mr. Burns. 



Senator Burns. I just have a couple of questions to clarify. 



I guess, Mr. Mehrkins, I would ask you do you know of any legis- 

 lation that requires the Forest Service to profit on the sale of 

 timber? 



Mr. Mehrkins. No, at the same time the Forest Service under 

 the principle of trying to maximize the benefits, the net benefits to 

 all people would have to consider providing positive economic bene- 

 fits across the board in a multiple-use sense. In other words no, 

 there is no mandate to make a profit but there is no mandate to 

 lose money either, and come up with the greatest positive benefit — 

 set of benefits possible. 



Senator Burns. Using that analysis would you want the Forest 

 Service to also take the same approach with recreation and the 

 Fish and Wildlife Programs? 



Mr. Mehrkins. I believe that there never has to be — well, I do 

 support that. That is the organization I speak for. We believe that 

 these resources should be put forth in an economically sound 

 manner that is physically responsible, that is going to help to 

 strengthen the economies. I guess that's the long answer, sir, to 

 your question. 



Senator Burns. Mr. Kirchhoff, I was interested in your testimo- 

 ny, I just wonder if you would tell us what is the effect on popula- 

 tion of bald eagles since .timber harvesting began in earnest in the 

 1960s. 



Mr. Kirchhoff. I can address that with respect to deer but I am 

 not able to talk about bear. 



Senator Burns. Well what about since the 1960s? 



