Lance Waldren, defends his statements in the article:  Because We Live Here, The human cost of feel good environmentalism.

 Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Project affiliate George Sexton denounced Waldren's article claiming that President Clinton exempted the Alaskan Tongass from the roadless wilderness rule.

The following is the response by Lance Waldren:

"Regarding Mr. Sextons comments regarding my article and his claims of "Bullshit."   Mr. Sexton is correct in saying the Tongass was exempted from the roadless policy but when did that happen?   President Clinton signed the order on January 5, 2000 with the rule basically blocking all logging, road building and other development on 58.5 million acres of National Forest, including the Tongass.  

 

It was not until December 23, 2003 that President Bush (not Clinton as stated by Sexton) exempted the Tongass from the roadless ruling.   That leaves nearly four years where the policy was enforced.   

 

Also in support of what I had written.   The Ketchikan Pulp Company owned the last remaining large mill in Southeast Alaska.   The mill had a contract with the Forest Service to provide a specified amount of timber every year.  The contract was set to expire in 2004 and a 15 year extension was in the works.   In October of 1996 the Clinton administration announced not only were they not going to grant the 15 year extension but they were also going to break the current contract and end the sale of timber to the mill with eight years remaining.   The mill was closed in March of 1997.  

 

This decision was basically what broke the back of the timber industry in Southeast Alaska.  

 

So if Mr. Sexton wishes to say the Tongass is exempt from the roadless policy he is correct, but only after seven years of destruction to the timber industry and after the Forest Service decided not to help fund road construction on its timber sales.

 

Mr. Sexton, next time before calling Bullshit, you should do your own research"

 

Lance Waldren