NewsMine — nature-health — environment — forests — Viewing Item

House passes forest thinning bill { May 20 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=2780667 http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=2780667 House Passes Forest Thinning Bill Tue May 20, 2003 05:39 PM ET By Christopher Doering WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives passed a forest-thinning bill on Tuesday that backers tout as cutting the risk of fires, but opponents see as a way for timber firms to gain easier access to forests. President Bush praised the House for passing the measure, and urged the Senate also to back it to reverse decades of "well-intentioned, but misguided, forest policy." "We need to get the politics out of this and we need to focus on what's best for America," Bush said. "I urge Congress to get it done, to get it to my desk as quickly as possible." The legislation eases procedural and judicial requirements for removing small underbrush and trees on 20 million acres of forest land susceptible to wildfires. In 2002 more than 7 million acres went up in flames. The U.S. Forest Service estimated that more than 190 million acres is susceptible to wildfires. The legislation cleared the House 256-170. "(This bill) is the beginning step toward the end of paralysis by analysis which has been some of the more radical organizations' primary tool to obstruct our ability to manage our forests," said Rep. Scott McInnis, a Colorado Republican, who introduced the measure. The bill would no longer require the Forest Service to develop several alternatives to thinning. Federal courts also would need to balance environmental consequences of thinning with those of inaction, and have to renew preliminary injunctions every 45 days. Several Democrats and environmental groups harshly opposed the bill, arguing that it strips environmental safeguards, public participation and judicial review. "The Bush administration's so-called 'Healthy Forest Initiative' exploits the threat of wildfire to gut environmental protections and boost commercial logging," said Robert Vandermark, co-director of the Heritage Forests Campaign. "It is nothing more than a sham that plays off the fears of the American public. The House rejected by 239-to-184 a Democrat-sponsored substitute to require that 85 percent of wildfire projects take place within one-half mile of communities and water supplies.

belize Apes jungles { September 4 2002 } Apes will be extinct in a generation { September 1 2005 } Arizona wild fires { June 22 2003 } Arnolds epa pick critical bush healthy forest initiative { November 14 2003 } Arson suspected in most of 10 fires { October 29 2003 } Burning [jpg] Bush says kindling causes forest fires { December 3 2003 } Bush seeks shifts in logging rules { July 13 2004 } Bush to gut roadless rule { June 10 2003 } Cattle grazing causing more extensive rainforest damage { October 21 2005 } Deforestation paves way in brazil { January 8 2005 } Denies natural cycles { May 24 2003 } Ease logging { August 22 2002 } Ethanol will destroy rainforests Excuse to log { June 19 2003 } Federal judge overturns roadless ban Forests pay the price for biofuels Governor says roadless unlawful { August 20 2003 } House passes bill to speed post fire timber sales { May 18 2006 } House passes forest thinning bill { May 20 2003 } In the line of fire Judge roadless accused ethics violation Jungles disappear 30yrs Logging forest fires New forest rules help loggers { December 23 2004 } Non burned undergrowth threat People use 83pc { October 23 2002 } Rainforest destruction { June 25 2001 } Roadless plan upheld San bernardino wild fires { October 26 2003 } Smokey bear revamps fire message Smokey the bear was wrong { August 21 2000 } Wild fires then ice storms { November 14 2003 } Files Listed: 33

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.