Lisa Murkowski

I wish that we could spend more time here this afternoon just in putting out on the record the information that I think has been critical in developing this legislation as we have advanced.

Sealaska is the only corporation situated that way.

That is something that none of the other regional corporations were given the opportunity for.

I guess I would ask you to explain why you feel it is unjust?

If a bill is not passed soon, if the Forest Service in conjunction with Sealaska does not move more vigorously, we could well see the last mill in the Tongass close within the next year or so.

What we're trying to do with this Sealaska bill is to try to keep the timber industry hanging on.

Please do not let our towns become ghost towns. Kill this bill.

We have concluded that the proposed land 'exchanges' being proposed in S. 881 have huge endangered species ramifications for the Alexander Archipelago wolf and the Queen Charlotte goshawk.

The referenced legislation would allow the Sealaska Corporation to select several of the old-growth reserves in southern Southeast Alaska and the corporation's representatives have stated that they intend to log the-lands selected for…

Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Mark Begich have re-introduced revised legislation in the 112th Congress.

We cannot keep just talking this to death because 40 years have passed.

I would just suggest to you--and I have taken twice my time, I appreciate the indulgence of the chairman and the ranking member here--that we have been working aggressively on this legislation for the past year.

Our reality is that if, in fact, we are not able to come to a resolve with this Sealaska legislation the existing remnants of the timber industry in Southeast Alaska are just not going to survive.

The impact on the existing mills. It is one of the concerns as we talk about this transition from second growth to the young growth strategy.

Isn't it better from an environmental perspective and certainly for the critical habitat perspective to allow the proposal that we have before us?

It stuns me to think that we're still in a position where you are saying you can't implement your plan.

What I'm still struggling with is the reality that under this proposal even if Sealaska were able to harvest the full 80,000 acres that we are talking about, which again, we concede we are not because we're taking off the table a fair…

It is in everyone's best interest that we finally come to closure on this issue.

I think we all recognize that this must happen.

I want to thank Senator Tester once again for his strong commitment to Montana's communities and natural resources.

It is long past time that Sealaska shareholders get the lands they were promised nearly 40 years ago.

The entire issue stems from legislation that Congress approved four decades ago and the many intervening events in the region.

Thank you for holding this hearing on S. 730, what most Alaskans call the Sealaska lands bill.

I want to make sure that this legislation, not only addresses the equity that is at stake here for the Sealaska shareholders, but also for those who live and work and raise their families in the region.

Unless this bill passes we do have, again, some very dire economic situations within the panhandle region.