AB 715 runs out of time in Assembly
Bill to protect California's wild forests must wait

California’s wild forests protection bill cleared one more hurdle on Sept. 8, recommended for concurrence by an Assembly committee but failing to pass an Assembly floor vote.

But the bill will be reconsidered when the legislature reconvenes in early 2006.

“Though disappointing at first glance, this is actually a good development for AB 715,” said Paul Hughes, executive director of Forests Forever. “Indications recently were that the governor would veto the bill, as he did SB 744.

“But this gets us past the special election (in November) and gives us more time to organize.”

Sponsored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), AB 715 would prevent state agencies and departments from assisting the federal government in any action not compatible with the original, protective 2001 federal roadless rule.

Roadless area in Sequoia National Forest
Photo courtesy California Wild Heritage Campaign

The measure had passed its first Assembly floor vote on May 31, then passed the state Senate on Sept. 6 by a 22 to 15 vote. The hurdle cleared Sept 8 was a 6 to 2 concurrence vote in an Assembly Committee.

"California spoke loud and clear in 2000 when the original roadless rule was written," Hughes said.

"The Senate passage of AB 715 is an emphatic re-statement that we want our last wild forests protected."

There are 18 national forests in California; inventoried roadless areas within them cover about 4.4 million acres. It is these roadless areas that the recent Bush administration repeal of the 2001 roadless rule would leave vulnerable to logging, roadbuilding, and other kinds of development.

The Forest Service repealed the original roadless rule in May 2005 and substituted a phony petition process in which governors can ask to protect (or open to development if they choose) the roadless forests in their states. The Bush-appointed secretary of agriculture, however, can approve or deny these requests.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said back in November 2004 that he will not file a petition under the Bush administration’s new rule. Instead his administration would seek to negotiate a state-specific rule for California with the Forest Service.

The governor has not yet indicated whether he will sign AB 715.

“The governor’s record on forest protection just took a step backward with his veto of online access to timber harvest plans,” Hughes said. “Signing a popular bill to help protect some of the last wild forests in the state could lend credibility to his promise to ‘keep the roadless areas roadless.’ ”

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Write to Assemblyman Lloyd Levine and thank him for introducing AB 715. Assure him of your continued support, and tell him that you look forward to helping him pass the bill in the next session.

Assemblymember Lloyd E. Levine
District Office
Van Nuys State Building
6150 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 300
Van Nuys, CA 91401
(818) 904-3840

If you haven't written to your state senator or assemblymember about AB 715, it's not too late to do so and remind him or her how important wild forests are to all Californians.

You can find contact information for your state legislators at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/