Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 23, 1993 TAG: 9307230164
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Some officials in the Alleghany County area are worried that such a move would hurt the timber and logging business and cost jobs.
But the Fifth Planning District Commission, a regional agency whose area includes the two national forests, decided to stay out of the debate over timber.
The commission said Thursday it will wait until more is known about the Clinton administration's policy on timber sales.
"It is too early to take a stand. They are taking a look at the overall situation, and we need to wait until we know more about what they are proposing," said Lee Eddy, a Roanoke County supervisor.
The Citizens Task Force on National Forest Management supported the commission's decision not to take a stand now.
"We think it would be more appropriate to do more research. The situation is changing," said James Loesel, secretary of the task force.
The Greater Alleghany Economic Development Commission has asked the planning district to oppose what the commission described as a ban on timber sales in both the Jefferson and George Washington forests.
But Helen Smythers, a planner for the regional agency, said the Clinton administration has not proposed a ban.
Instead, she said, the new administration is looking for ways to make national-forest timber sales profitable by reducing costs and the number of sales that lose money.
Some timber sales are below costs because the expenses for the roads and other items are higher than the sale price for the timber.
As part of the deficit-reduction plan, Clinton proposed that below-cost sales be phased out over four years. If this plan is implemented, it could affect the Jefferson and George Washington forests.
But James Overbay, deputy chief of the U. S. Forest Service, said no decision has been made on which forests will curtail logging.
"We have looked at several options on how the 4-year phaseout might work, but have not made any decisions on a particular option," Overbay said in a memorandum to regional foresters.
He said the Forest Service is looking for ways to become more efficient in timber sales.
Cutting costs will save money and help raise timber-sale programs on some national forest to above-cost status, Overbay said.
Loesel, who has monitored the Forest Service's management of forests, said Clinton's desire to cut the costs of timber sales is part of reducing federal spending.
"It's just like the closing of military bases. They want to save money," Loesel said.
Loesel said the reduction in timber sales in the national forests won't have any significant impact on the logging industry or cause the loss of jobs.
On another matter, Wendy Wingo, a member of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, was elected to a two-year term as chairwoman of the commission, succeeding Howard Packett, a Salem City Council member.
by CNB