320 



over or watch it on TV. When I am too old to fly, which I do 

 myself, I expect to be able to drive over the Tongass. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much, Mr. Harbour. 



Mr. Soderberg. 



STATEMENT OF VIRGIL SODERBERG 



Mr. Soderberg. Senators, we the undersigned are the residents 

 of the Barge Inn, we are working there as a flotilla currently an- 

 chored at Winter Harbor on the Northwest side of Prince of Wales 

 Island. Our mission to construct logging roads within strict forest 

 regulations and specifications. 



We are justifiably proud of what has been accomplished today — 

 dead, rotten, bug-infested stands have been replaced by vigorous 

 stands of young, green second growth. 



A great National Forest can now be accessed by all Americans 

 through the road network now in place. As professionals and resi- 

 dents of the forest we oppose all aspects of Senate Bill 346 and 

 House Bill 987. The cancellation of the long-term contracts would 

 eliminate the Ketchikan Pulp Mill at the first downturn of the 

 market. Half the employees in the industry would be forced to 

 leave at that time. Likewise comparable numbers of service sup- 

 port people would follow. Those remaining would be subjected to 

 the roller coaster ride of the economy, depending upon two season- 

 al industries. Southeast Alaska would rapidly assume the economi- 

 cally handicapped characteristics of nondiversiflcation that the rest 

 of the State is so famous for. Elimination of the 4.5 billion board 

 feet allowable sale quantity would also eliminate some of our ca- 

 reers in the National Forest. 



Native corporations are eager to continue their logging and road- 

 building operations and harvesting their own stands but will find 

 no timber available or displaced and already in the forest. In either 

 case the dropping of employment and economic activity would 

 follow. 



The nature of the Tongass Timber Supply Fund would remove 

 incentive to improve the harvest yield on a marginal stance, which 

 remained open after the wilderness area selections. To do so would 

 be to decrease the timber base with resulting decreases in employ- 

 ment and the local economies. Removal of the portion of the forest 

 which pays the local economy for loss of productive lands to wilder- 

 ness should be followed by elimination of wilderness areas. Addi- 

 tional selections of commercial forest lands for wilderness areas 

 should not be made; to remove timber from productive harvest and 

 lock it away to rot, burn or blow down is serious mismanagement. 



Southeast Alaska is a model community and the Tongass is a 

 model forest and you can kid the fans but you cannot kid the play- 

 ers. 



The rules should apply to everyone and not be changed in the 

 middle of the game. 



Thank you. Senator. [Applause.] 



Senator Wirth. Thank you Mr. Soderberg. 



Mr. Apostolis. 



