February 28 , 2003
Friday - 2:15 pm

Juneau, Alaska - Responding to today's release by the US Forest Service of a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) that concluded there was no need to recommend

"We are encouraged to see the Alaska Region of the Forest Service take what we believe is the right decision, because all land types of the Tongass are already represented in the vast wilderness areas of the Tongass and because those areas are underutilized. There is no justification for additional wilderness on the Tongass." ... Gov. Murkowski

new wilderness areas within the Tongass National Forest, Governor Frank Murkowski said, "We are encouraged to see the Alaska Region of the Forest Service take what we believe is the right decision, because all land types of the Tongass are already represented in the vast wilderness areas of the Tongass and because those areas are underutilized. There is no justification for additional wilderness on the Tongass."

Murkowski also pointed out that the Forest Service should not have had to go through this unneeded, court-ordered study in the first place, because under the 'no more' clause of ANILCA, the Department of Agriculture was not to conduct any more roadless reviews in Alaska to lock up more land.

The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) provides a 'no more' clause at section 708(b)(4). According to information provided by the Office of the Governor, the Murkowski administration will also continue to challenge the Clinton-era "Roadless Rule" for National Forests based on the same clause of ANILCA.

"I also urge the Forest Service to move ahead immediately with the 5-year revision of the Forest Plan, provided for by the National Forest Management Act. We are now in the 6th year of the current revised plan and a revision that follows the planning rules is needed," Murkowski said.

"The 1982 planning regulations under the Management Act require a 5 year "update," in which the forest supervisor is to look at issues, opportunities, and management concerns that have materialized during the time the plan has been in place. Since adoption of the 1997 plan, the timber industry has nearly evaporated and new information may bring into question many of the assumptions used in the 1997 plan. Accordingly, the Forest Service should revise the plan.

"In the meantime, the Forest Service should have several timber sale site-specific EISs ready to release; the state will ask the Forest Service to announce the schedule for release of those additional NEPA documents," Murkowski said. "Finally, to assist the timber industry in southeast Alaska, we will ask the Forest Service to announce its timber sale advertisement schedule for the rest of this year and all of next year."

Source of News Release:

Office of the Governor
Web Site

Post a Comment           View Comments

Submit an Opinion - Letter

Sitnews
Stories In The News