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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 1997
AFA OBJECTS TO FOREST SERVICE DECISION
The Alaska Forest Association (AFA) today criticized the Clinton Administration’s decision to withdraw the bid offering on the Inbetween timber sale in the Chatham Area. The sale had been released by the District Court for immediate offering by the Forest Service as part of the settlement agreement in the Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association v. Morrison lawsuit last year. The Forest Service has also said it is removing the Crab Bay sale from its sale schedule for this year. The release of Crab Bay was also part of the settlement agreement, according to Executive Director Jack Phelps. The so-called AWRTA lawsuit had held up 282 million board feet ( mmbf ) of timber which had been cleared for sale after extensive environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It was settled after lengthy discussions between the plaintiffs, the government and AFA, and the settlement included the immediate release of approximately 100 mmbf , including the two sales now at issue. AFA was an intervenor - defendant in the case. "The information I have leads me to believe that the Clinton Administration is guilty of double-dealing here," Phelps said. "On the one hand, they settled the AWRTA case by agreeing to release Crab Bay and Inbetween , and then apparently decided to prevent their release as part of some other deal, of which we were unaware. This is disturbing in that it shows the government does not bargain in good faith." "The prospect of going back to the judge on this issue is not something we necessarily relish, but it is one of the options we will have to consider," said Phelps. "I have spoken to Regional Forester Phil Janik to see whether we can get this decision reversed. The ball is really in his court now. We are waiting to see if the Clinton Administration will keep its word and put these sales up as they agreed to do. Given our already strapped timber supply, the 13 or 14 million feet represented by these two offerings is significant."
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