Decisions affect national forests

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2002

The Bush administration is making two decisions affecting national forests where Alaska Native corporations have interests.

The Department of Agriculture is recommending 9 million acres of the 17-million acre Tongass National Forest be open to roads, drilling and logging. The decision rolls back protections the Clinton administration sought on already roadless areas of the forest but follows a 1997 management plan.

The department is seeking protection of 1.4 million acres of the 5.7 million-acre Chugach National Forest. This is a final determination although The Anchorage Daily News reports that the agency inadvertently posted the news on its web site yesterday.

Native corporations and some tribes based in southeast Alaska depend on the timber industry for profits and jobs. Sealaska Corporation, an regional corporation; Kootznoowoo Inc., a village corporation; and the Sitka Tribe opposed restrictions on both forests.

Get the Story:
Tongass protection rejected (The Anchorage Daily News 5/17)
Chugach plan let out of the bag (The Anchorage Daily News 5/17)
Wilderness Protection Not Advised For Tongass (The Washington Post 5/17)
Forest Service rejects Tongass plan (AP 5/17)
Forest Service to Recommend Opening Alaska Forest Area (The New York Times 5/17)
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Relevant Links:
Roadless Forest Plan - http://roadless.fs.fed.us
The US Forest Service - http://www.fs.fed.us