Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Ph: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Roadless Area Decision Called "Bittersweet"
Tongass Exempted but Chugach Included in Withdrawals

For Immediate Release: January 22, 1998 Contact: Rep. Bill Williams at (907 )465-3424.

(JUNEAU) -- Legislative leaders reacted angrily to Thursday's announcement by the U.S. Forest Service that it is instituting an eighteen-month moratorium on construction in so-called "roadless areas" of the National Forest System. The Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska was exempted from the sweeping mandate, as were several other national forest areas in the Pacific Northwest which have recently revised or amended their management plans. The Chugach National Forest in Southcentral Alaska was not exempted, however.

"The Clinton Administration is turning the public process on its ear," said Representative Bill Williams (D-Saxman). "They've implemented their policy first, then they're going to go through the public process. This runs counter to the spirit of many environmental laws, which mandate research first, then decisions, all based on sound scientific evidence and public comment. They've reached a conclusion and are now setting about constructing a hypothesis to support it," Williams said.

"It's a bittersweet decision for Alaska," Williams said. While we're glad they've exempted the Tongass from this withdrawal, they've included the Chugach and that will slow or stop efforts to manage the enormous spruce bark beetle problem they have there."

The decision, announced this morning in Washington, DC, allows the public thirty (30) days to comment on the decision and Williams urged Alaskans to contact the Forest Service and register their concerns. The roadless areas withdrawals are part of the Forest Service's proposed New Tranportation Policies, which include a major overhaul of the forest road system. The public will have sixty (60) days to comment on the overall plan.

"I hope every Alaskan will take the time time to write or call the Forest Service," Williams said. "The roadless moratorium is going to have grave economic and social consequences for timber dependent communities everywhere. This policy is like a doctor who kills his patient, performs an autopsy to find out what's wrong, the tries to apply a cure," Williams said. "How many timber operators are going to be left after two years of greatly reduced harvests?"

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