285 



Not a single person would be immune to the trickle effect caused 

 by loss of jobs in timber, from our hard-working loggers to our doc- 

 tors, teachers and government employees. Each would suffer from 

 a decline in one of the largest economic bases in southeast. 



Without jobs many of us would be forced to relocate, possibly to 

 your state. Can you say that we would be welcome? Can you 

 handle our employment needs which may include retraining? Can 

 your schools support the influx of thousands of children who 

 cannot quite understand why dad lost his job? 



Fact is most of us desire to pursue our livelihoods right here in 

 the Tongass, our forest home, but we are constantly forced to 

 defend ourselves against those elected to serve our best interests, 

 most of whom have never even been in the Tongass. 



I appreciate the effort you are making to actually see our forest 

 and listen to its people speak. I hope that you will return to Wash- 

 ington and to your own constituents with a better understanding of 

 this unique place. 



Thank you. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much, Ms. Howatt. 



Mr. Swartz. 



STATEMENT OF STAN SWARTZ 



Mr. Sw^ARTZ. Senators, welcome to Alaska. I am Stan Swartz and 

 I have lived in Ketchikan for ten years. I worked for 13 years as a 

 career U.S. Forest Service employee in timber sale administration. 



I oppose Senator Murkowski's bill because it does not protect 

 enough of the Tongass National Forest and furthermore it is an af- 

 front to my intelligence and personal values. 



I support your bill. Senator Wirth, and I thank you for introduc- 

 ing it. Repealing the mandated 450 million annual allowable cut 

 and the 50 year contracts are very important. I urge you to 

 strengthen the bill by granting permanent protection to the 23 key 

 areas. 



During my Forest Service career I witnessed complete disregard 

 for fish and wildlife habitat. The policy is to muck it up now and 

 maybe we can fix it later. Countless spawning and rearing streams 

 for salmon are choked with logging debris. When selecting stands 

 for harvest the Forest Service would attempt to mitigate environ- 

 mental damage through appropriate contract language. Mitigating 

 language is only effective when both the Forest Service and the 

 contractor adhere to the regulation. The pulp mill has a history of 

 paying only lip service to environmental constraints in the 50-year 

 contract. The Forest Service in many cases has no spine and sides 

 with the pulp mill. Based on my experience I believe the 50-year 

 contracts must be terminated and replaced with short-term con- 

 tracts. 



I would not be misled by the pulp mill, the Ketchikan Chamber 

 of Commerce or the Editorial Staff of the Ketchikan Daily News. 

 Reform will bring the Tongass National Forest in line with the Na- 

 tional Forest System and reform will not decimate the timber in- 

 dustry in southeast Alaska. 



Senator Wirth, I am glad you are seeing through Senator Mur- 

 kowski's smoke screen and that you know that it is a sham. Your 



