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STATEMENT OF PERRY APOSTOLIS 



Mr. Apostolis. My name is Perry Apostolis, I have been in 

 Alaska for four years, this is my second year following — with a con- 

 struction company. I have logged in Admiralty Island and Prince of 

 Wales Island. I have 14 years experience in logging and other vari- 

 ous types of tree work, all from Oregon and Alaska. It is not hard 

 to see that the trees in southeast Alaska are overripe and need to 

 be harvested. Alaska has a natural second growth that is coming 

 up beautifully. Our logging industry has divided nice forests in 

 southeast Alaska for tourism and hunters and sightseers. 



Thank you. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much. 



Ms. Paulson. 



STATEMENT OF JAN PAULSON 



Ms. Paulson. My name is Jan Paulson. I have been a resident of 

 Alaska since 1972. Currently I am employed as a civil engineer by 

 Seley Corporation, a Ketchikan-based resource company. We are di- 

 rectly involved in logging, construction and tourism. 



I oppose S. 346. This legislation, proposed by Senator Wirth, 

 would not be beneficial to the people of Southeast Alaska. Reduc- 

 ing the allowable annual cut on the Tongass could only result in 

 the loss of jobs and hinder future development. 



Locking up more of the Tongass to wilderness would not be bene- 

 ficial to anyone. The areas currently designated as wilderness are 

 accessible only to the affluent or very hardy. For instance, Misty 

 Fiords National Monument is only accessible by float plane or boat. 

 There are no hiking trails or viewpoints for the average vacationer 

 to enjoy. I believe the roads built to access timber can also be used 

 to access recreational areas, areas that would be available to re- 

 tired people traveling in motor homes and on tight budgets. Short 

 trails from these roads could also make the Tongass accessible to 

 the handicapped. 



I believe most of the opposition to logging in the Tongass stems 

 from misinformation campaigns by environmental groups. It was 

 easy for the writers at Sports Illustrated to take pictures of a fresh 

 clear-cut and say this is bad but what they did not show was the 

 ten-year-old cut down the road that has completely grown over 

 with healthy young trees. 



The management of a multiple use forest is a complicated issue, 

 one that most people not directly involved do not understand. For 

 them the only rational solution is to stop all logging. 



The most important issue before us today is the continuation of 

 the 50-year timber sale contracts. United States entered into these 

 contracts with the intention of meeting the terms. If these con- 

 tracts are terminated everyone loses. All taxpayers will be invited 

 to share in a buy-out that at this time has an unknown bottom 

 line. The reduction in timber-related jobs will adversely affect the 

 employment level of our service industries and the entire economy 

 of southeast Alaska. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you, Ms. Paulson. 



Mr. Lindgren. 



