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in Sitka, comparable to what the oil spill has meant to Valdez. We would 

 lose approximately 400 direct jobs and up to 400 additional indirect 

 jobs. The remaining taxpayers would have to take over Alaska Pulp 

 Corporation's (APC) share of payment for the existing infrastructure, 

 including water, sewer, and electricity. For instance, APC has reduced 

 taxes for us all by paying $10 million for excess power from our Green 

 Lake dam over the last six years. 



The cancellation of the long term sales proposed in the Wirth 

 bill would result in closure of the pulp mills. Each mill has testified 

 that it would be unable to obtain short term financing in bad markets 

 without an adequate supply of timber. Thus, at the next down turn in the 

 pulp market, our mill would close. Furthermore, the rest of Southeast 

 Alaska would be hurt. This would mean that there would be no market for 

 approximately 50% of the harvest, including that of private land owners 

 for all of the lower value material which cannot e sold in export. This 

 is why Forest Service planners sought to establish the pulp mills in the 

 first place. 



The failure to seriously consider points like this, and the 

 apparent effort by the environmental community to pass legislation in 

 advance of the Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP) , which is supposed to 

 deal with these issues, cause those of us who live in Southeast Alaska to 

 worry that there is little or no concern in Congress for the working 

 people of Southeast Alaska. For example, the people who live in my 

 community of Sitka are totally dependent for employment upon those 

 resources and industries which are located in Sitka. They are not free to 

 live in Sitka and commute, for example, to Juneau, or to Seattle, or to 

 some other area for employment. If the opportunities for employment in 

 Sitka are lost, the opportunity to live in Sitka would also be lost. 



I understand. Senator Wirth, that you will be going to Valdez 

 after this to look at the man made oil spill disaster in that community. 

 Is it your intent to premeditatedly author a similar disaster for Sitka? 



Written Testimony 

 April 25, 1988 



22-148 0-89-12 



