LANDSCOPE: More Logging in the Columbia Basin?

[wafcdc at americanlands.org]

From: "wafcdc at americanlands.org" <wafcdc at americanlands.org>
Subject: LANDSCOPE: More Logging in the Columbia Basin?

LANDSCOPE: News and Views from American Lands - April 20, 2000

More Logging in the Columbia Basin?

The Forest Service has released for public comment the Interior Columbia
Basin environmental impact statement that proposes increased logging on 63
million acres in Idaho, western Montana, eastern Washington and eastern
Oregon, reports AP.  The plan calls for aggressive thinning and logging to
reduce the risk of catastrophic fire despite scientific evidence that past
logging and roadbuilding are the largest contributors to increased fire
risk.  On the positive side, the plan calls for strict limits on logging and
roading in watersheds, such as the South Fork of the Salmon River, that
provide the last refuge for endangered bull trout, salmon and steelhead.
And it directs agencies to protect remaining habitat for rare species,
including sage grouse and grizzly bears.

. . . Forest health logging is a primary emphasis of the Interior Columbia
Basin EIS and will be used to justify increased logging in the region.  As
we learned during the Salvage Logging Rider, logging under the guise of
forest health leads to devastating clearcuts, degraded watersheds,
diminished fish stocks and massive losses to the taxpayer.  A better plan
for the region would instead create jobs repairing damaged watersheds,
decommissioning roads, and halting the spread of  invasive weeds.  Comments
on the supplemental draft EIS must be submitted in writing by July 6, 2000.
For more information please go to http://www.icbemp.gov 

TV Ads Exposed Timber Giveaways: Taxpayers for Common Sense sponsored a
television ad that exposes how timber companies benefit from massive
taxpayers subsidies.  The ad, a parody of commercials run by the timber
industry, features a young girl strolling through Washington's  Wenatchee
National Forest, describing how her "daddy," the owner of a logging company,
receives "special deals" from the Forest Service and concludes with her
wondering if the government would also buy her a pony.  The ads ran April 13
- 19 on CNN Headline News and other news shows in Nashville, Chicago, New
Orleans, Little Rock, Portland OR and Washington, D.C.  To view the ad or a
more detailed fact sheet, please see http://www.taxpayer.net

LCV Kicks Off Earth Day to Election Day Campaign:   The League of
Conservation Voters has announced a $6 million effort to elevate the
environment in the 2000 elections.  Promising to hold elected officials
accountable on the environment, LCV plans to inform the public about the
environmental records of candidates.  "The time is right for environmental
issues to move to the forefront of this year's campaigns," said LCV
president Deb Callahan.   LCV's political action committee also unveiled a
new "Environmental Champions" campaign to promote the strong environmental
records of selects congressional candidates in tight races.  Reps. Chris
Shays (R-CT), Joseph Hoeffel (D-PA) and Jay Inslee (D-WA) were named the
first "Environmental Champions" of 2000.  For more information see
http://www.lcv.org

ORV Damage at Big Cypress on ABC: The extensive off road vehicle (ORV)
damage at Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve will be featured on ABC
News Tonight with Peter Jennings either this Thursday or Friday.  ABC shot
their own helicopter and ground footage and interviewed the Interior
Department, National Park Service and Florida Biodiversity Project
spokesperson Brian Scherf.


To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send a message to
wafcdc at americanlands.org along with your complete contact information (name,
org, address & phone #)


Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator

American Lands 
726 7th Street, SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
wafcdc at americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org