Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

ISTRATION NO. 1, INTERNATIONAL WOODWORKERS OF AMERICA Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Senator. My name is Edward L. Johnson. My job is director of joint administration No. 1 for the International Woodworkers of America. Our union represents approximately 3,000 woodworkers in north Idaho. The members we represent are all employed either in the woods, sawmills, or plywood plants. I believe there's two issues to be resolved. One, the roadless area issue in Idaho has been studied and debated for nearly 20 years. We feel Congress should settle the issue now and determine which lands should be designated as wilderness and which should be established for multiple use. The second issue is the amount of land to be designated as wilderness. We believe the 3.8 million acres of congressionally designated wilderness in Idaho is a sufficient amount of our natural resources to be set aside for recreation. 711 Idaho needs wilderness areas, but we also need jobs. We need jobs to provide the resources and leisure time for our members to be able to enjoy the already designated wilderness areas. The economic recession for the past 3 years has caused plant closures and layoffs for our members. Every member we represent was affected by either a layoff or short workweek. The sawmill at Potlatch, Idaho, has recently been permanently closed, and at the present time is being dismantled, affecting 200 employees. Future supply of timber was a major reason given by the company for their decision to permanently close that operation. Shortages of timber can cause the same unemployment and economic hardship for workers and their families that market conditions recently caused. Idaho has a work force of only 400,000 people, with 20,000 employed in an industry which generates 25 percent of the nonfarm economic base. The economic conditions of the timber industry affects everyone, whether it is through taxes paid by the industry or through the purchasing power of the employees. We urge Congress to: (1) Settle the roadless issue and (2) designate no additional acres to the already 3.8 million acres of wilderness in Idaho. Thank you, Senator.