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STATEMENT OF LEE SCHMIDT 



Mr. Schmidt. I am Lee Schmidt. I have Hved in Alaska 21 years, 

 with almost 18 of them in Sitka. 



Obviously, I support your bill. Senator Wirth, and my written 

 comments are available, but I would like to just go ahead and talk 

 off-the-cuff. 



I was on the plane yesterday when members of the committee's 

 supporting staff got on, and it was interesting to me to observe the 

 various people's reactions as they looked out the window and saw 

 some of the Southeast. Even though I have made the trip many 

 times, it still always floors me. And yesterday was an extraordi- 

 nary beautiful day, with the opportunity to see things which nor- 

 mally people do not see because of the rain, the clouds and the fog. 

 Right before us was part of the Tongass and, of course, this is the 

 national forest that we in this panel so well identify with. 



I support portions of your bill because it does look at public bene- 

 fit to the forest and causes it to be recognized as a national forest 

 rather than as a backyard tree farm. 



You were able to see the mountains and the ice and the snow, 

 but what you were not able to see the real center of controversy, 

 which is the river valley. That is where the trees grow. That is 

 where the wildlife is and where the fishing streams are. There are 

 very few fish up on top of the mountains, but that is obviously 

 where people enjoy going also. So, I hope to have an opportunity to 

 get in a boat and tramp in the forest and see something of our 

 area. 



We talked a lot about the acres as if that was the magic but the 

 magic is the ecosystems, the systems that surround that river 

 bottom that follows up into the slopes of the mountains. 



Yesterday's approach to Sitka was particularly beautiful, and 

 part of it, of course, was because the mill had no smoke, although 

 much of it was due to the weather. This morning from my house I 

 watched eagles diving, and yesterday I was in an urban city dodg- 

 ing smog and working around cars. The contrast is overwhelming. 



In fact, you probably had that same kind of feeling as you looked 

 out the window. Alaska is special, and the Southeast is especially 

 so. 



In my written comments I have suggested to the committee some 

 yardsticks to evaluate some of the comments. One of them, I think, 

 is to ask what we are doing right. It is not a play upon words but 

 now enters the center stage in the national arena in the context of 

 judging actions against the standard. Is it ethically good, not expe- 

 diently convenient? I hope the committee is able to use that stand- 

 ard. I think that Senator Wirth's bill does. 



Thank you. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Schmidt follows:] 



