584 

 Senator Wirth. Thank you. Foy Nevers. 



STATEMENT OF FOY NEVERS 



Ms. Nevers. Mr. Chairman, my name is Foy J. Nevers and I sup- 

 port Senate Bill 237 and oppose Senate Bill 346. 



The primary reason I have worked 29 continuous years for 

 Alaska Pulp Corporation and made Sitka my home is the steady, 

 dependable employment the 50-year contract has given me and my 

 family. 



During these 29 years I have raised a daughter, two sons, and 

 seen them educated from kindergarten through high school gradua- 

 tion in Sitka. I have a son buried here and someday hope to be 

 placed next to him, if I am not forced to move because I lost my job 

 as a result of Senate Bill 346. 



I have been a life member of the Sitka Sportsmen's Association 

 for 28 years and firmly believe that logging and wildlife do co-exist. 

 I used to hitch a ride in 1961 and 1962 on logging trucks in Katlian 

 Bay to go deer and goat hunting. I have taken deer home almost 

 every year from this Bay in the regrowth areas since then. 



The new growth in Katlian Bay has come back so thick that I 

 believe my grandchildren will see it logged again. Katlian River 

 still has a good run of dog and pink salmon every year. 



Please do not lose sight of the fact that southeastern Alaska is 

 blessed with a great many inches of rainfall which guarantees 

 almost no lost trees due to forest fires. 



Let us keep our jobs here in southeastern Alaska so we will not 

 have to be retrained or relocated away from our homes. 



Thank you. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much and we appreciate all of 

 you that have joined us today. 



Would the next group please move in, Ruth Sandvig, John 

 Murray, Page Else, Carolyn Servid, Linda Waller, and Christine 

 Pool. 



Moving into the on deck circle we have Joe Kilburn, Sandra 

 Craig, Frank Wright, Jr., Richard Bean, Jr., R. Bartlett Watson, 

 and Gordon Harang. 



We will start with Ruth Sandvig. 



STATEMENT OF RUTH SANDVIG 



Ms. Sandvig. I am Ruth Sandvig of Petersburg, Alaska, a resi- 

 dent for 48 years. I have taught school, raised three children and 

 fished for over 30 years. 



The Tongass National Forest is a multiple use area. We must 

 practice and protect more than one type of activity. 



A former Republican Alaskan State legislator said, "The timber 

 industry does not need to log creek beds." That was in 1985. Now, 

 in 1989 creek beds are still being logged. We need large bumper 

 strips to prevent erosion and to preserve the habitat. 



I support Senator Wirth's bill for permanent protection. 



Let us speak of jobs. Remember the Tongass National Forest is a 

 multiple use area. We must share jobs among loggers, fishermen, 

 and others. If we continue to log at the present rate there will be 

 fewer jobs for both loggers and fishermen. 



