02/21/2000 01:10 PM House RES

HJR  54 - EXCLUDE AK NATL FORESTS FROM ROADLESS POL                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Number 0249                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HUDSON announced  that the first order  of business would                                                              
be  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.  [Testimony had been heard at previous meetings.]                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BILL WILLIAMS, Alaska  State Legislature,  sponsor                                                              
of HJR 54, thanked  the committee for hearing the  resolution.  He                                                              
indicated HJR 54 is very important  for what is left of the timber                                                              
industry in Alaska.  Ten years 10  years and over $13 million have                                                              
been spent to  create the Tongass Land Management  Plan (TLMP) and                                                              
now   President  Clinton's   roadless  policy   would  "lock   up"                                                              
approximately  another  40 million  acres  in the  United  States.                                                              
Representative Williams  said one  of the problems  is uncertainty                                                              
as to what areas will be designated  as roadless.  Alaska probably                                                              
has the best forest practices in  the United States.  Furthermore,                                                              
the  Alaska  National Interest  Lands  Conservation  Act  (ANILCA)                                                              
states  that the  President  cannot  take any  more  lands out  of                                                              
Alaska without  first taking  it before Congress.   He  noted that                                                              
Governor [Knowles] supports the resolution.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY stated that he is in support of HJR 54.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0561                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HARRIS indicated  he is in  strong support  of HJR
,  which addresses  the fact  that  there has  been an  economic                                                              
downturn in the state from a loss of forest-product jobs.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  COWDERY  made  a motion  to  move  HJR 54  out  of                                                              
committee  with the  attached zero  fiscal note.   There being  no                                                              
objection,  HJR  54 moved  out  of  the House  Resources  Standing                                                              
Committee.