May 02, 2003
Friday - 12:10 am

Ketchikan, AK - About 145 jobs in the wood products industry will be provided by the recent Cholmondeley Record of Decision #1 (ROD), according to Tongass National Forest Supervisor Tom Puchlerz. "The Cholmondeley decision is the first large scale timber supply we've been able to offer for about two years, and represents a critical step toward supplying the raw materials our local, family-owned lumber mills need to keep operating," he noted. "At the same time, the environmental standards we require will leave a healthy, intact ecosystem after the proposed four sales are completed. More than 90 percent of the productive old growth timber in the area will still be standing, and almost 95 percent of the McKenzie Roadless Area will remain unroaded. Streams in the area will still flow with clear, clean water, and fish will swim up and down them freely," Puchlerz added.

Puchlerz noted that there are some potential effects on a commercial lodge in the Clover Bay area. "We want to minimize potential impacts on their commercial venture, "he said. "This decision limits construction and harvesting operations near commercial recreation providers during their peak seasons so that their customers will still be able to enjoy their Alaska experiences."

This ROD authorizes four sales in the project area, which is about 40 miles southeast of Craig on Prince of Wales Island. It will provide a total of about 27 million board feet of timber ­ enough to construct 2,700 three-bedroom homes - from 1,225 acres in the Clover Bay and Sunny Cove areas. Only about two percent of the 74,000-acre project area will be harvested. While 21 miles of roads will be built during the lifetime of the sales, they will be closed and rehabilitated after the sales are over. Two log transfer facilities (LTF) will be constructed as well. A separate ROD may be issued in the future for the Saltery Cove portion of the project area, which could authorize up to ten million board feet of additional timber. These sales were in the planning stages before the National Roadless Rule was signed in 2001, so they are exempt from its provisions.

According to information provided, this decision is subject to administrative review (appeal) pursuant to 36 CFR Part 215. The appeal filing period closes on Tuesday, June 24, 2003. Copies of the ROD and EIS may be obtained from the Craig Ranger District or reviewed at the Craig Public Library. Direct any correspondence or requests for copies of the Record of Decision #1 and/or Final Environmental Impact Statement to: Gary Lawton, Craig Ranger District, P.O. Box 500, Craig, Alaska 99921; Phone (907) 826-1625; fax (907) 826-2972; or e-mail glawton@fs.fed.us.

Source of News Release:

USDA - Forest Service
Tongass National Forest - Ketchikan
Web Site

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