286 



legislation will ensure a Tongass National Forest for generations to 

 come. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you for being here. If there are no ques- 

 tions from the panel let's move to the next group. 



Thank you. 



Senator Murkowski. I have a question for the last witness, just 

 shorter contracts; now 15 years left 



Mr. SwARTZ. I realize that and realize the legislation that you 

 are proposing may not go into effect for two, three, four or five 

 years and 



Senator Murkowski. What did you have in mind? 



Mr. SwARTZ. I have in mind implementing the fixed contract; it 

 is a shorter contract that would affect the national forests around 

 the country. 



Senator Murkowski. And that is what term? 



Mr. SwARTZ. It varies depending upon 



Senator Wirth. Now 50 years is unreasonable in your opinion? 



Mr. SwARTZ. With the present long-term contract, yes. 



Senator Murkowski. My point is it will run out in 15 years. I am 

 just asking for your opinion, if you have one. 



Mr. SwARTZ. I do. 



Senator Murkowski. What do you feel the contract, if it is going 

 to be renegotiated, what the terms should be? 



Mr. SwARTZ. In my opinion it depends on the size of the sale en- 

 tirely. 



Senator Murkowski. Thank you. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you all very much for being with us, we 

 appreciate it. 



The next panel of witnesses, Mr. Ronald Littleton, Marcia Ryno, 

 Garrett Davis and Kevin Moore, Robert Soule and Dan Zink. 



Now thank you all for joining us. 



Mr. Littleton and the others, in fact you have a two-minute slot 

 and you will press the button at the end of two minutes. Thank 

 you all. 



STATEMENT OF RONALD LITTLETON 



Mr. Littleton. My name is Ronald Littleton. I have lived in 

 southeast Alaska for 22 years. I have worked for South Coast, In- 

 corporated for 12 years, building logging roads, state and federal 

 highways. For nine of these years I have lived on Prince of Wales 

 Island enjoying the fishing, hunting and recreation activities of the 

 area. 



I am going to read a poem that expresses my feelings about log- 

 ging in this area. It was written by Kenney Twitchell of Coffman 

 Cove. 



At dusk you can see it from up on the hill. It's a beautiful forest, the trees stand so 



still. 

 From the snow capped mountains to the valleys below, then dawn is awakened by a 



big logging show. 

 Now a logger is a map with strong will and great pride, that he carries with him 



deep down inside. 

 From the yarder he runs to the truck that he drives, and the men in the riggin' 



each day risk their lives. 

 Then it's up off the landing and down off the hill, the trucks haul the logs on down 



to the mill. 



