621 



I recently read in one of the Seattle papers that Washington and 

 Oregon export more trees, 5 billion board feet, each year than the 

 mill contracts call for in 10 years, 4.5 billion board feet, throwing 

 thousands out of mill jobs, because there is no added value to ex- 

 ported whole logs. Here in southeast we do not have that situation 

 and that is one reason our economy is the best in the state. 



Fishing and tourism can be real "iffy," as we will likely see this 

 year, and the big money fishing has bypassed Sitka entirely. So, I 

 do not see our small boat fishery as picking up the slack if the mill 

 closes. 



The tourism people probably know that we 161 locals that bring 

 our friends and families to Sitka for a visit spend a lot more than 

 the tour ship visitors who get off the ship for a few hours and then 

 move on. One big tour ship company is not even going to stop here 

 anymore. So, tourism is not going to pick up the slack either. 



The original 50-year contract was made in order to develop the 

 economy of southeast, and I do not see much that has changed in 

 that need. As for those who say the industry is "subsidized," I 

 would ask what industry is not? We can start with the banks and 

 go right down the line to fishing. At least fishing and timber are 

 renewable resources. 



Being a millwright I believe in the old saying, "If it ain't broke, 

 don't fix it," and I think that applies here. If the senators insist on 

 tinkering with something, the Murkowski-Stevens bill would do us 

 less harm and I think the Wirth bill would mean ruin for thou- 

 sands just here in Sitka. The first person that sold their house 

 would be the lucky one. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you, Mr. Fike. 



Mr. Gassman. 



STATEMENT OF JOHN W. GASSMAN 



Mr. Gassman. I am John Gassman. 



I do not favor the passage of any of the bills now pending regard- 

 ing the Tongass National Forest. If one must be passed, I prefer 

 Senator Murkowski's. 



As you will notice in my written testimony, I feel that if either 

 the bill introduced by Senator Wirth or the one by Congressman 

 Mrazek passes, I personally believe it will result in the closure of 

 both mills, resulting in disaster to the community and many people 

 would lose their jobs, homes, and dignity. 



I have outlined four steps to help maintain people in the commu- 

 nity. These items would be expensive but how much more expen- 

 sive than unemployment benefits, welfare payments, government 

 insured mortgages, forced bankruptcy, and the loss of contributing 

 to the communities. The peoples' cost would be the loss of their dig- 

 nity and pride in themselves. 



These steps must be included in the bill regardless of the cost for 

 the people who have been doing what the government and the 

 Forest Service envisoned over 40 years ago, to provide a stable, 

 year-round industry. We have built our lives, our futures, our sav- 

 ings on the long-term government plan. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much, Mr. Gassman. 



