498 



U.S. Forester, Chatham District 



Sitka, Ak 

 July 9,1985 



Dear Sir, , „ ^ 



I am writing on behalf of the Sitka Fish & Game 

 Advisory Committee. The purpose of this letter is to 

 request an extension of the comment period on the proposed 5 

 year timber harvest plan for the Alaska Pulp Corporation, 

 and communicate the comments ue have after the limited 

 amount of study and discussion ue have been able to arrange 

 during this time of year. Ue are hopeful that the Forest 

 Service uill take our comments under advisement and contact 

 us about revisions in the harvest plan before the final 

 proposal is developed. 



I want to communicatt: the appreciation of the uhole 

 committee for the efforts the Sxtka forest service employees 

 have made Lo uork with the committee and explain the complex 

 process of revieu and comment to us. Our key contact has 

 been Ken Uotring and 1 would like to commend him for his 

 assistance. 



Ue unanimously voted to ask for an extension in the 

 comment period to December. The reason is not because of 

 the length of the comment period, but because of the timing. 

 Many of our committee members are active in Seasonal 

 occupations which consume nearly all of thier attention 

 during the summer months and which often take them away trura 

 Sitka. Ue feel we could make a more meaningful comment in 

 the fall, winter, or spring. 



After a good deal of subcommittee uork, study of maps, 

 public and agency comment, and committee discussion we came 

 up with several motions which communicate the concern about 

 the scale and impact on wildlife and subsistence resources 

 under all of the proposed harvest alternatives. Ue were 

 repeatedly advised by the forest service represenati ves that 

 they were mandated by the 50 year contract and ANILCA to 

 offer huge amounts of timber at very low prices wether the 

 company was going to cut the timber or not. After 

 considering the situation we decided that the 50 year 

 contract and the huge timber harvest "mandated" by ANILCA 

 were creating a terrible problem for both the forest service 

 and the wildlife managers in trying ^^ protect fish & 

 wildlife values, Ue unanimously voted to advise the forest 

 service to renegotiate or cancel the 50 year contracts. 



