Alaska State Legislature

News From The Senate and House Majorities

Ken Freeman, (907) 465-3804
Wendy Lindskoog (907) 465-4582
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Legislature Opposes Sending Tongass Christmas Trees to Washington

Focuses Attention on the Plight of Unemployed Workers

For Immediate Release: March 18, 1997 Contact: Ken Freeman (907) 465-3804, Wendy Lindskoog (907) 465-4582

JUNEAU - Calling it hypocritical of the Clinton Administration to harvest timber from the Tongass National Forest for use as Christmas trees in Washington, D.C., the Alaska State Senate Tuesday passed a resolution opposing a proposal to harvest trees from the Tongass National Forest for the purpose of decorating the nation's capitol during the 1998 Christmas season. The measure passed the Senate 15 -2 and earlier passed the House 35-4.

"Maybe this resolution will get the Clinton Administration's attention. Vice President Al Gore has stated that they have 'saved the Tongass'. At what cost? There are more than trees and animals in the Tongass, there are people," said Rep. Bill Williams (D-Saxman).

HJR 24, sponsored by Representative Bill Williams, requests the Clinton Administration find another source for the 1998 Christmas tree festivities in light of the social and economic hardship forced upon the unemployed timber workers, their families, and the timber-dependent communities of the Tongass. Senator Robin Taylor (R-Wrangell) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

Williams said recent policy directives from the Clinton Administration and environmental litigation have resulted in the closure of Alaska's two pulp mills and has put thousands of Alaskans out of work. Even with the recent announcement of a three year timber agreement between Louisiana Pacific and the Agriculture Department, nearly 60% of the Southeast timber jobs which existed in 1990 have vanished.

"The job loss and personal suffering caused by these closures is flat out wrong, especially in light of the minimal amount of timber harvesting we’ve done here. Less than 4% of the trees on the Tongass have been harvested since 1900," said Williams.

"The lack of a reliable timber supply threatens the few remaining sawmills in Southeast and could eliminate hundreds of more timber jobs adding to those that have already vanished in the last 6 years," said Senator Taylor. "We are still pushing for a level of timber supply that will keep our industry alive."

"The Clinton Administration is sending the message that careful harvesting of our trees is not acceptable to provide jobs for the people of Southeast Alaska, yet should be allowed to decorate the White House and the halls of Congress," said Taylor. "This is an affront to those rendered jobless by the recent mill closures!"

Representative Williams called upon the Forest Service to heed the Southeast Timber Task Force’s recommendation of a minimum 300 million board foot (mmbf) harvest level to maintain an integrated timber industry in Southeast Alaska. Absent a 300 mmbf harvest level in the revised Tongass Land Management Plan, more job loss and disintegration of the remnants of the SE timber industry can be expected.

"Resolutions passed in Juneau don't always carry a lot of weight. But that's not the case with HJR 24. The Clinton administration apparently heard the frustration being expressed by this Legislature and the people of Southeast Alaska and yesterday announced cancellation of plans to seek Christmas trees from the Tongass next year," said Taylor.

"It is ironic the Forest Service press headline announcing this latest action states they listened to the concerns of the people of Southeast Alaska. What about all the times the residents of Southeast have asked for an adequate sustainable timber supply? The Forest Service hasn't listened in the past and what we have is an industry on the verge of extinction," said Williams.

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