Bush Guts Protection for Roadless Forests (damn these evil Orcs!)

[G_j]

first ANWR now

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=46900

Administration Puts Our Last Wild National Forests at Risk; Statement of Robert Vandermark, Heritage Forests Campaign

5/5/2005 2:43:00 PM


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To: National Desk

Contact: Tony Iallonardo of the National Environmental Trust, 202-887-8855

WASHINGTON, May 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement of Robert Vandermark, director, Heritage Forests Campaign:

Yesterday 58.5 million acres of ever-dwindling pristine National Forests in this country were protected for all, and today the Bush Administration has deliberately placed them on an endangered list. Millions of acres of our last wild forests are now immediately at risk. Theodore Roosevelt must be rolling in his grave. This leave no tree behind policy shreds paves the way for increased logging and mining in much of the nation's last wild areas.

Four years ago, this Administration made a promise to the American people to uphold the protection of these last wild areas, but almost as soon as that promise was made, they began dismantling National Forest safeguards for political ends. More than $9 million in Bush campaign contributions from energy and agribusiness have paid off.

The American people have spoken loud and clear on this issue - protect these valuable national treasures. Instead, this new policy masterfully executes the agenda of special interests, allowing timber companies to write forest plans that turn majestic national treasures into tree farms. National Forests deserve national protection, and should not be subject to the whims of local politics and Federal political cronies.

Politics aside, there are practical and fiscal problems with the plan. America's National Forests are currently covered with 386,000 miles of roads - enough to encircle the earth 15 times and the Forest Service currently has a $10 billion maintenance backlog on those roads. At this time of massive budget deficits, and a massive road maintenance backlog in our forests, the Forest Service should be making "no roads" the status quo and placing the burden of proof on those who wish to build, not on those who wish to protect. The Bush Administration is asking taxpayers to dig deeper into their wallets to build even more roads to nowhere.

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The Heritage Forests Campaign is an alliance of conservationists, wildlife advocates, clergy, educators, scientists, and other Americans who are working together to uphold protection of our National Forests. http://www.ourforests.org.

http://www.usnewswire.com/
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http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050505/dcth073.html?.v=5

Press Release Source: Defenders of Wildlife


Bush Administration Guts Protection for Roadless Forests

Thursday May 5, 3:24 pm ET
Millions of Acres of Wild National Forests Immediately at Risk


WASHINGTON, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Defenders of Wildlife President Rodger Schlickeisen called today's move by the Bush Administration to drop protection for millions of acres of roadless national forest land "a crass rejection of science, public participation and conservation on behalf of a handful of timber industry backers." The announcement by the U.S. Forest Service completely withdraws the landmark 2001 Roadless Area Conservation rule, which protected 58.5 million acres of unroaded national forest lands for wildlife habitat, recreation, clean water and purposes other than resource extraction. Today's action eliminates all these protections, leaving in place a state petition process that immediately exposes all national forest lands to logging, mining, and energy drilling.
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"It is truly breathtaking just how beholden this White House is to industry," Schlickeisen said. "Gutting protection for our last truly wild public forests is absolute validation that there is no place so special this administration will not drill, mine or clear cut."

Unlike the Roadless Rule itself, which was adopted after more than 600 public hearings and 2.5 million public comments in favor, today's announcement follows no public hearings, no scientific scrutiny, and more than 1.7 million public comments in opposition. In place of nationwide protections crafted through an open and public process, today's new rule adopts a piecemeal approach, requiring individual states to petition the federal government to protect individual roadless areas. Even if an individual governor did petition for protection, the U.S. Forest Service could still deny his/her request.

"The timber industry didn't like the idea that the best remaining wildlife habitat in our National Forests might actually be necessarily and legitimately be set aside for something other than clear cuts, so they had their allies in the White House change the rules," Schlickeisen said. "All the other values in our forests -- like recreation, clean drinking water, and homes for forest wildlife -- get dumped by this rule so that the White House can keep cutting down to the last tree and drilling for the last drop of oil."

Schlickeisen said Defenders of Wildlife intends to engage lawmakers and other stakeholders to find a national approach that will rightfully reinstate protection for these unique national public lands.

Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as America's Best Wildlife Charity by Readers Digest magazine. With nearly 1 million members, supporters and electronic advocates, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat.




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Source: Defenders of Wildlife

[G_j]

1. leave no tree behind ..kick

[Selatius]

2. There's evil afoot!

Hero Orc: The trees are strong, my lord. Their roots go deep.
Saruman: Rip them all down.

[G_j]

3. just the exchange

that came to mind~

:puke: :scared: :cry: :argh:

[The Revolution]

4. Where's the Ents when you need them?

nt

[Selatius]

5. I think Bush's Healthy Forest Intiative has got them occupied at present

They attack on multiple fronts to keep us tied down.