 USFS for Tongass Timber Ketchikan Borough Needs Reliable Supply for Veneer Plant Venture July 23, 2002
"I believe it is absolutely essential that the federal government make every prudent effort to ensure Ketchikan's success in reopening the veneer plant," Murkowski wrote to Denny Bschor, the U.S. Forest Service's regional forester. "A critical component of that success will be the ability to purchase sufficient economic timber from the Forest Service to run the mill." "The bold leadership demonstrated by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough deserves to be matched by anyone aspiring to lead a prosperous Alaska. I hope all statewide candidates will join me in encouraging the Forest Service to meet the borough halfway and do their part on behalf of the people of Southeast Alaska." According to a news release, the borough took an important step in rebuilding Southeast Alaska's forest products industry last week, purchasing the idled veneer plant equipment and property on the site of the former Ketchikan Pulp Co. plant, in an effort to preserve jobs, tax revenue and stability. Since 1993, the industry has been battered as environmental resistance, nuisance lawsuits, and even misguided Clinton Administration policies choked off timber supplies and crippled the once-strong industry. "Given the risks the borough is taking to save the veneer mill, I strongly encourage you to be equally bold and use your statutory authority to offer one or more 10-year timber sale contracts to provide the necessary fiber supply," Murkowski wrote Bschor. Murkowski said a long-term timber contract would provide stability for the industry and for workers, but would not threaten to over-harvest the Tongass, as any sale would have to conform to harvest limits established in the Tongass Land Management Plan. "There is no reason for
the Forest Service not to make sufficient economic volume available
to run a veneer mill and provide logs to the sawmills of Southeast
Alaska. This action is essential to provide jobs and protect
families," he said. Source of News Release:
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