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E-M:/ URGENT ALERT - ESA & LOGGING VOTES
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Enviro-Mich message from Frank Ambrose <snakeman@expert.cc.purdue.edu>
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VOTE ON LOGGING: SOLUTION OR PROBLEM?
The Senate is planning to vote today, for the first time since 1992,
on whether to cut the budget for the Forest Service timber program.
An amendment offered by Sen. Richard Bryan (D-NV) to the Interior
spending bill will cut funds from the timber sale (and timber road
construction) portions of the Forest Service budget, allocating half of
the cut to deficit reduction, and half to underfunded programs like
watersheds and road maintenance.
Every activist who believes that logging is the problem, not the solution
to the issues facing the National Forests should call his/her Senators
and ask them to support the Bryan amendment.
Last year, an amendment by Sen. Bryan to cut timber road subsidies
failed on a 50-50 vote. The vote this year promises to be equally
close. Other than the vote on the Smith forest health bill last spring,
this will be the most important indication of 1998 as to where the
Congress is on National Forests. Every vote for the Bryan amendment
sends the signal that logging is recognized as a problem not just by
environmental groups, but also by U.S. Senators. This is a real and
necessary step forward. It's worth a call to each of your Senators.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: TOO MUCH PROTECTION?
At the last minute, Sen. Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID) is threatening to offer
his legislation to roll back protections for endangered wildlife under the
Endangered Species Act as a "rider" to the Interior Appropriations bill.
This is a completely inappropriate way to move legislation of such
magnitude, and is substantively a giant step backwards in protection of
endangered species.
It's great that the peregrine falcon can be removed from the endangered
species list, but unfortunately the experience is that most of the species
that are listed as endangered haven't recovered, and literally hundreds
of species that should be haven't even been listed.
The message to Senators on this issue is simple: why are we weakening
protections for endangered species, instead of strengthening them?
Senators should oppose the weakening of the ESA by the Kempthorne
rider.
The Senate switchboard number is (202)224-3121 -- please make your
calls now, and then do what you can to get the word out to others.
Thanks. (p.s. -- the vote on the Kempthorne amendment is expected
TONIGHT).
The Western Ancient Forest Campaign is now American Lands, reflecting our
work with citizens nationwide to protect America's wildlife and wild places.
Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
1025 Vermont Ave. NW 3rd Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
202/879-3188
202/879-3189 fax
wafcdc@igc.org
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