[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 13, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S4558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BEGICH (for himself and Ms. Murkowski):
  S. 1357. A bill to exempt National Forest System land in the State of 
Alaska from the Roadless Area Conservation Rule; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I wish to speak about legislation I am 
introducing today that would repeal an ill-fitting and broad-reaching 
rule that limits not only timber harvest and mining but important 
renewable energy projects in Southeast Alaska.
  In March of this year, a Federal District Court ruling set aside the 
2003 Tongass Exemption and reinstated the application of the 2001 
Roadless Area Conservation Rule in the Tongass National Forest. This 
decision means that the Tongass National Forest is now managed by a 
cookie-cutter rule imposed upon all national forests rather than by the 
2008 Tongass Land Management Plan developed by Forest Service personnel 
under a wide reaching multi-year collaboration with Alaskans.
  This will have a severe impact and reverse efforts to revitalize 
local communities and increase economic diversification throughout the 
region. Over the past few months, I have spoken with Tongass Forest 
Supervisor Forest Cole and Department of Agriculture staff about what 
flexibility they have under the rule.
  I appreciate that Secretary Vilsack and the plaintiffs in this most 
recent court case recognize the importance of hydropower development, 
mining and personal use wood policies to the economy of Southeast 
Alaska. However, what I have read of their settlement agreement doesn't 
offer any certainty that there won't be more challenges and delays. Our 
experience over the past decade suggests there will be.
  With lots of demands on the Tongass Forest, the Forest Service needs 
greater flexibility to address these issues while crafting a reasonably 
sized timber sale program that keeps the few existing mills alive and 
allows for modest expansion into second growth markets. Unemployment in 
the rural portions of Southeast Alaska currently averages more than 15 
percent. Energy costs in these non-hydropower communities are too high 
as well. Instead of adding options, the roadless rule takes them away. 
It is time once and for all to do away with the rule in Alaska.
  I want to thank my colleague, Senator Murkowski, for joining me as a 
cosponsor.
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