410 



Senator Wirth's bill comes much closer to achieving Port Alexander's goals of 

 protecting fisheries and wildlife habitat than does Senator Murkowski's. Senator 

 Murkowski's bill does nothing to help small communities like Port Alexander. 

 Senator Wirth's bill, on the other hand, is a good compromise for all southeast 

 Alaskans. Senator Wirth's bill would remove fifty million board feet a year from 

 the Tongass timber base for the protection of other forest values such as tourism, 

 commercial fishing, and subsistence. The bill would also leave the forest products 

 industry with 400 million board feet a year to harvest — enough to preserve all 

 current logging-related jobs based on past cutting levels. 



In conclusion, the City of Port Alexander urges Congress to eliminate the "450" 

 provision of the Alaska Lands Act. This will allow the Forest Service more 

 flexibility in addressing the public's desires. We acknowledge the timber industry's 

 legitimate place in Southeast, but ask that they do the same for other users of the 

 forest. We want to make sure that the key fish and wildlife areas in the Tongass - 

 the Kadashans, Lisianskis, Yakutat Forelands, and South Kuius - are permanently 

 protected in some manner so as to ensure our own economic livelihood. 



