Tongass National Forest: Timber Provision of the Alaska Lands Act Needs Clarification
RCED-88-54
Published: Apr 11, 1988. Publicly Released: Apr 19, 1988.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Forest Service's management of its timber sales program in the Tongass National Forest, focusing on: (1) Tongass Timber Supply Fund expenditures; (2) the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) and the timber industry's opinions regarding the Service's use of funds; (3) the effectiveness of timber supply and funding provisions in maintaining timber industry employment; (4) the economic basis of the Service's policies in the Tongass Land Management Plan; and (5) a comparison of the government's costs for growing and selling timber with timber sales revenues.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| To provide the Forest Service with more flexibility for supplying timber under varying market conditions, Congress should revise the 4.5-billion board-feet-per-decade timber supply provision of Section 705(a) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. In making this revision, the timber supply provision should be revised so that the amount supplied would be based on the anticipated demand for timber and on the data currently being formulated by the Forest Service as part of its land management planning process rather than on a rigid per-decade requirement. | The fiscal year (FY) 1989 appropriation reduced by $4.7 million, partially addressing the recommendation eliminating permanent appropriations, as recommended. A bill, H.R. 987, has been introduced which will fully address the recommendation. |
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Economic growthFacility constructionForest conservationForest managementForestry legislationFunds managementLand use agreementsNational forestsRoad constructionTimber salesTimber industry