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August 5, 1999 TIMBER INDUSTRY APPLAUDS ALASKA DELEGATION’S TONGASS DEAL
The Alaska Forest Association today expressed support for an agreement reached between the Alaska Congressional delegation and the Clinton Administration. "This deal is good for all the operators in the Tongass," said Executive Director Jack Phelps. "The agreement contains two major components. One is assurance of a consistent Tongass independent sales program available to all timber purchasers for the next year or two. The second is the flexibility for LP to harvest its remaining volume on a schedule that is consistent with the plans of Gateway Forest Products to operate a veneer plant in Ketchikan."
The independent timber sale program is of critical importance to the remaining industry in Southeast Alaska, Phelps said. "This is an industry in transition," he stated. "The most important supply issue for it is stability and consistency of volume. The delegation understands this and has worked very hard to get the Clinton Administration to allow the Tongass National Forest to stabilize its offerings."
AFA is particularly pleased with the broad support in Alaska leadership which came together to make this deal happen, Phelps said. "The work of the delegation was critical," he said, "but the support of the Governor’s office was also very important and the willingness of the Clinton Administration to sit down and bargain in good faith should not be discounted. Alaska clearly wins in this agreement, and those who live and work in Southeast recognize the value of continued timber employment in the region."