583 



WHICH HAS BEEN OUT OF DATE FOR YEARS, AND PREVENTS LOCALLY 

 OWNED BUSINESS FROM GAINING A FAIR COMPETITIVE POSITION, 



16 COMMUNITIES OF THE TONGASS, THE RESIDENTS OF THE TONGASS, 

 THE PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF OUR REGION AND HUGE ECONOMIC 

 OPPORTUNITIES CALL UPON YOU TO HELP US WIN THE 

 CHANGES WHICH ONLY CONGRESSIONAL ACTION CAN PROVIDE. 



IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR AMERICANS TO PAY FOR THE 

 EXPLOITATION OF OUR NATION'S LAST RAIN FOREST, WHILE LOCAL 

 PEOPLE ARE READY TO USE THESE RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY AND 

 WITHOUT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY. 



THE FOREST SERVICE HAS MADE ITS GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO SOLVE 

 THE COMPETITIVE PROBLEMS THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, BUT 

 THEY CANNOT SUCCEED WITHIN THE LIMITS OF CURRENT LAW. I 

 URGE YOU TO ACT NOW TO PASS S. 346, THE TONGASS TIMBER 

 REFORM ACT, ON BEHALF OF THE PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE 

 TONGASS FOREST AND ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL INTEREST. 



IN ADDITION, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU STRENGTHEN SENATOR WIRTH'S 

 BILL BY GRANTING PERMANENT PROTECTION TO ALL 23 OF THE HIGH 

 VALUE FISH AND WILDLIFE AREAS RECOMMENDED FOR ONLY TEMPORARY 

 PROTECTION BY S. 346. I AM PERSONALLY FAMILIAR WITH AND 

 HAVE GUIDED CLIENTS IN, OR USED FOR SUBSISTENCE PURPOSES, 

 THE BERNERS BAY AREA, PLEASANT AND LEMESURIER ISLANDS, 

 POINT ADOLPHUS / MUD BAY, ROCKY PASS, THE YAKUTAT FORELANDS 

 AND YOUNG'S LAKE. 



IF THESE HEARINGS HAD BEEN HELD IN A MORE REPRESENTATIVE 

 SAMPLING OF TONGASS FOREST COMMUNITIES AND HAD THE WITNESS 

 SELECTION PROCESS BEEN MORE FAIR, YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD MANY 

 MORE SENTIMENTS, SUCH AS MINE, EXPRESSED. 



HOWEVER, I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT MY VIEWS 

 AND THOSE OF MANY OF THE UNREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES OF 

 SOUTHEAST ALASKA. .THANK YOU. 



