We’ll get right to it: Tell Senate Finance to vote NO on SB 85.
Senate Bill 85, introduced by Gov. Dunleavy, creates two new problems without solving anything. It opens the door to foreign exports, hurting local businesses, and it removes our best opportunities for public comment. The Senate Finance committee is holding a hearing on the bill Tuesday at 9 a.m. and we’re asking for your help to stop this bad bill in its tracks.
First, we’ve made this easy petition to the Senate Finance committee. Sign here and SEACC will deliver your comments before the hearing.
Next, we encourage you to give Senator Stedman a friendly phone call at 907-465-3873. Let him know you oppose SB 85 because it creates harmful competition for small timber operators and because it removes opportunities for public comment.
Finally, the committee is taking public testimony Tuesday at 9 a.m. You can email your own testimony to senate.finace@akleg.gov, or you can offer live testimony by calling 844-586-9085. Let the operator know you want to testify to Senate Finance on SB85, and they will put you in line. Stay on the phone and monitor until it’s your turn to speak.
Note: Be sure to listen for your cue on your phone as there is a 10-second video delay and you can miss your turn to speak if you’re just watching online.
When drafting your testimony, please consider the biggest problems with this bill:
- It removes the former State mandate that negotiated sales be used for local manufacturing, high-value products, opening the door for more round-log export and purchase by foreign companies.
- It eliminates the restriction that only one sale of this type per operator per year is allowed, opening the door for multiple sales to favored/larger operators.
- It eliminates one opportunity to appeal the sale from the public’s standpoint, meaning there may be no opportunity for the public to push back on these sales.
Don’t forget to sign our petition either!
Gunalcheesh for contributing your voice for the Tongass,
Maranda Hamme
Tongass Forest Program Manager
