02/16/2000 02:30 PM House RES

HJR 54 - EXCLUDE AK NATL FORESTS FROM ROADLESS POL                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HUDSON announced  that the committee would  take up HOUSE                                                              
JOINT  RESOLUTION NO.  54,  relating to  urging  the exclusion  of                                                              
national forests  in Alaska from President Clinton's  proposal for                                                              
withdrawal of roadless areas in the national forest system.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Number 0059                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BILL WILLIAMS, Alaska  State Legislature,  sponsor                                                              
of HJR  54, noted that  the preservationists  are trying  to "lock                                                              
up"  Alaska, and  they  are  doing a  very  good job  of  it.   He                                                              
indicated    HJR   54  was  introduced  to  protest   yet  another                                                              
politically  motivated attack  on  the working  people of  Alaska.                                                              
The President  of the  United States  has proposed  a policy  that                                                              
would end further road building on the national forest system.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WILLIAMS pointed  out that Alaska  is home  to the                                                              
two largest forests  in the country, and the health  and diversity                                                              
of the economy  is directly related to the resource  industry.  He                                                              
said  there  are  several  specific  reasons  for  his  objection.                                                              
First, the policy  is illegal; the Alaska National  Interest Lands                                                              
Conservation Act (ANILCA) specifically  prohibits such withdrawals                                                              
without the  expressed direction of  Congress.  Second,  ten years                                                              
and more  than $13 million have  been spent to create  the Tongass                                                              
Land Management  Plan (TLMP),  which is  an obvious dedication  of                                                              
time, money  and public process used  to create a plan  that would                                                              
bring "peace  in the valley."  This  plan would be thrown  out the                                                              
window.    He  added  that the  TLMP  document  has  already  been                                                              
compromised  with Undersecretary  Jim Lyons' unilateral  amendment                                                              
in 1999.   This  attack is  yet another  attempt at  circumventing                                                              
proper forest  management for  the sake  of political science  and                                                              
posturing.   Third, he  said, time and  money are currently  being                                                              
spent to  create a  plan for  the Chugach  National Forest.   Once                                                              
again, the public process is being  followed to produce a plan for                                                              
the future  use of this  forest.  One  great concern to  those who                                                              
live  and  work   in  the  Chugach  is  the  spruce   bark  beetle                                                              
infestation, which will continue if the policy is implemented.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WILLIAMS  referred  to  a letter  written  by  the                                                              
Governor,  where it  reads,  "It is  our  understanding the  White                                                              
House may  be considering a directive  to the U.S.  Forest Service                                                              
to include the  Tongass National Forest in the  services' national                                                              
roadless  area review.   If  so, I would  consider  this to  be an                                                              
outrage and  a double-cross."   Representative Williams  said that                                                              
he  is frustrated  with  the level  of federal  intervention,  and                                                              
there will  be more  of it if  people don't stand  up today.   The                                                              
sole purpose  of the roadless policy,  in his view, is  to satisfy                                                              
the increasing demand of radical  environmental groups who want to                                                              
stop all  industry activities  on public land.   He asked  for the                                                              
committee's support on HJR 54.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0538                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  MASEK asked  if  the resolution  will  affect any  other                                                              
areas  in the  state  besides  the  Tongass and  Chugach  National                                                              
Forests.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS replied that  it is his understanding that                                                              
the Tongass  and Chugach  National Forests are  the only  two that                                                              
are being looked at by the U.S. Forest Service.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MASEK commented  that the resolution is  important to the                                                              
state.  She commended Representative  William's efforts in putting                                                              
it together.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0632                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE  wondered if there are private  land holdings                                                              
within  the Tongass  and Chugach  National Forests  that would  be                                                              
prohibited  from development  without  the  implementation of  the                                                              
resolution.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WILLIAMS replied  that there  is public land  that                                                              
may be affected, but they don't know where it is going to be.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE  recalled reading something about  land owned                                                              
by the Chugach Regional Corporation  that would not be accessible.                                                              
He wondered  if there were similar  cases in the  Tongass National                                                              
Forest.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS replied that  Sealaska Corporation and the                                                              
village  corporations would  be affected.   He  explained that  it                                                              
would be beneficial to know where  the roadless areas are going to                                                              
be.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0795                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HARRIS  wondered  if Representative  Williams  has                                                              
spoken  to the  Governor  or his  staff.   He  indicated it  would                                                              
reassure  the  committee  that  the   Governor  is  sincere  about                                                              
pursuing those avenues.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS  indicated that  he has not, but  he would                                                              
like to think that the Governor will keep his word.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HUDSON pointed  out that his intention was  to put HJR 54                                                              
on  the table  for discussion;  however, the  committee would  not                                                              
take any public  testimony or action until February  18, 2000.  He                                                              
also indicated that other items on  the committee calender would b                                                              
addressed at the next meeting.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MASEK  commented that the  resolution seems to  be trying                                                              
to balance  it very well,  and the attacks  at the  national level                                                              
are just political  posturing and are not helping  the state.  She                                                              
said she supports  HJR 54 and thanked Representative  Williams for                                                              
the work he has done on it.  [HJR 54 was held over.]