CSSJR 24(RES) - TONGASS LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN CO-CHAIRMAN HUDSON stated that the committee would hear CS for Senate Joint Resolution 24(RES), "Relating to the Tongass Land Management Plan and to continued Congressional oversight of that plan. He said this resolution is identical to one introduced by this committee and passed from committee on a 4-to-2 vote the previous week. He called upon Senator Mackie to present the resolution. Number 0096 SENATOR JERRY MACKIE read the sponsor statement into the record: "The purpose of SJR 24 is two-fold. First, it encourages the U.S. Forest Service to bring the decade-long development of the Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP) to a conclusion so that the people and communities of Southeast Alaska can move forward with their economic and personal lives with some degree of certainty. The resolution supports a level of harvest from the Tongass National Forest sufficient to sustain a forest product industry and prevent further job loss and economic disruption in Southeast Alaska. "Secondly, the resolution endorses continued oversight by Congress and the Alaska congressional delegation of Forest Service management activities relating to the Tongass. This endorsement urges review of the analyses and procedures employed by the Forest Service to ensure that decisions affecting the social and economic well-being of Southeast communities are appropriate and scientifically credible. "After a decade of false starts, intervening federal legislation, court decisions and several public review drafts, the Forest Service appears poised to adopt a final version of the land use management plan for the Tongass. During this time period, the Southeast economy has lost $60 million in forest products payroll and half of its timber jobs. The continuing decline in available timber supply had closed two pulp mills and one saw mill. Without a plan that ensures some level of harvesting, the existence of any forest product industry in Southeast is improbable. "On December 20, 1996, the Southeast Regional Timber Task Force passed a resolution urging the federal government to finalize a plan for timber harvest in the Tongass. The task force determined that a minimum annual harvest level of 300 million board feet (MMBF) was necessary to re-establish a viable, integrated timber industry. This volume has been selected by several Forest Supervisors of the Tongass as the preferred alternative in previous drafts of the TLMP. "Any delay in the finalization of the TLMP plan is detrimental to the social and economic stability of Southeast Alaska. A plan that adopts a minimum 300 million board feet timber supply will stem the current decline and the associated economic depression of Southeast communities dependent on the forest industry. SJR 24 requests the completion of the long-delayed plan and that it include a 300 million board foot harvest level." ΒΆ SENATOR MACKIE emphasized that this resolution mirrors HJR 32, moved by this committee. Although the 300 MMBF figure has been criticized, it is not arbitrary. It was recommended by the Governor's task force, which was made up of people that represented communities, different organizations, and environmental and resource developmental agencies around Southeast. This resolution adopts and recommends their findings. He believes the task force's results should not be ignored, and he urged support. Number 0356 CO-CHAIRMAN HUDSON announced it was not his intention to have additional testimony, as the committee had heard it before. Number 0380 REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN made a motion to move CSSJR 24(RES), 0- LS0805\B, with individual recommendations. CO-CHAIRMAN HUDSON asked whether there was an objection. There being none, CSSJR 24(RES) was moved out of the House Resources Standing Committee. Co-Chairman Hudson turned the gavel over to Co-Chairman Ogan.