Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Weller. I began logging in 1969 after serving 2 years in Vietnam. During the past years, I have put much time and effort and money building my logging contracting business. I employ between 10 and 15 men with a monthly payroll between $25,000 and $30,000. These men depend upon the purchase of significant amounts of timber to furnish them with jobs. I, in turn, depend 100 percent upon national forests to provide me with readily available supply of timber to make my living, to support my family, and enable me to employ these men. If more land is closed to logging, I feel it will be only a few short years before I will no longer be able to purchase enough timber to run my business. We'll be stuck with a lot of expensive equipment for which I have no further use for and will have no way of making a living to support my family. And we'll have 10 or 15 employees and friends who also will have no way of supporting their families. I feel that the above will also be true of a large number of other people in Idaho that depend upon the national forest for a living. I, therefore, urge that no more land in Idaho be set aside for wilderness or roadless areas but that all remaining lands be designated as multiple use so that all Idahoans have an equal chance to use and enjoy and to make a living from these lands. Thank you, Senator.