322 



STATEMENT OF DAN LINDGREN 



Mr. LiNDGREN. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Dan Lindgren 

 and I am an Accountant employed by Wrangell Forest Products. 



I strongly believe that every effort possible must be made to 

 ensure the continuation of the timber industry in southeast 

 Alaska. Therefore, I disagree with the Tongass Timber Reform Act 

 for many reasons, three of which I will cover today. 



First, cutbacks in the timber industry would have devastating ef- 

 fects on the hopes and dreams of thousands of Alaskans. Real 

 Estate values would plummet and many families would be stuck 

 with large mortgage payments and no jobs. This coupled with high 

 costs to move from Alaska would leave many families stranded. 

 This in turn could lead to more homeless families and higher rates 

 of crime. 



Second, 96 percent of the Tongass National Forest remains un- 

 touched by the timber industry. Trees sprout like weeds in logged 

 areas without planting, making Alaska the United States' best re- 

 newable wood source. Proper thinning of this second growth forest 

 creates a forest with a value two to three times more than the old 

 growth forest. This second growth forest will also have a road 

 system that will greatly increase the economic return of harvesting 

 timber in Alaska. All these factors will help ensure jobs for future 

 generations of Alaskans. 



Third, the timber industry in Alaska is still in its start-up period. 

 Millions of dollars have been invested in property, plants and 

 equipment. These investments were made on the premise of an 

 adequate supply of harvestable timber. If this timber supply was 

 shortened, compensation would need to be made, not only to the 

 pulp mills but also to other small businesses that rely on the 

 timber industry. The price tag for this compensation would be hun- 

 dreds of millions of dollars and would be paid by our tax dollars. 



In conclusion, without a striving timber industry southeast 

 Alaska would suffer a tremendous crunch in its economy. Thou- 

 sands of Alaskans who have invested their lives in the timber in- 

 dustry would lose everything they have worked so hard for. This 

 along with the millions of dollars of compensation that will have to 

 be paid only proves how foolish it would be to tamper with the 

 timber industry in southeast Alaska. 



I urge you to consider the thousands of lives that will be affected 

 every time you vote for legislation concerning the Tongass Nation- 

 al Forest. 



Thank you. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much. 



Mr. Monk. 



STATEMENT OF ALAN MONK 



Mr. Monk. Just six months ago I could have been counted among 

 the proponents of this proposed legislation. I would have readily 

 agreed that we do not have enough designated wilderness in our 

 national forests to allow for mass logging and the rapid depletion 

 of a very valuable resource. I would also have agreed that we need 

 to do something drastic to save the habitats of our endangered 

 wildlife. Yes, I would have said that those loggers only care about 



