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CHAIRMAN WIRTH, SENATOR MURKOWSKI , MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, 

 GOVERNOR COWPER: 



WELCOME TO SITKA: 



I AM ALASKA STATE SENATOR DICK ELIASON. I REPRESENT SENATE 

 DISTRICT B, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE MAJORITY OF THE TONGASS 

 NATIONAL FOREST. I HAVE LIVED HERE IN SITKA FOR 50 YEARS, AND 

 I'VE BEEN IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR 19 YEARS. 



MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SURE THAT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS YOU 

 HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE TONGASS ISSUES, AND KNOW THAT WE 

 ARE DEALING WITH A VERY SENSITIVE AND COMPLEX ISSUE. 



AS I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE, THIS DISTRICT, LIKE MOST OF 

 SOUTHEAST, HAS AN ECONOMY THAT RELIES HEAVILY ON FISHING, 

 TOURISM, MINING, AND TIMBER. ALL FOUR OF THESE INDUSTRIES ARE 

 OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE I 

 REPRESENT. LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE 

 RELATING TO THE TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST WILL HAVE FAR REACHING 

 RAMIFICATIONS ON OUR ECONOMY. 



THERE IS CONSIDERABLE FEAR THAT IF THE CURRENT PROPOSED 

 CHANGES IN THE ALASKA NATIONAL INTEREST LANDS CONSERVATION 

 ACT, OR ANILCA, WERE TO BE IMPLEMENTED, THE ALASKA PULP 



