The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would dismantle national forest protections in the name of fire prevention. Please call or fax Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer as soon as possible and urge them to vote against passing parallel legislation in the Senate.

The House May 20 passed HR 1904, which would implement President Bush's so-called "Healthy Forests" Initiative. Similar legislation must pass through the Senate for the initiative to be implemented. A "Healthy Forests" bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate in June.

Bush's plan proposes logging national forests as a means of reducing wildfire hazard. Yet, the country's top forest scientists, including the Forest Service's own scientists, have found that logging actually can increase fire risk and make fires more frequent and more intense.

In addition, the plan would:

• Eliminate the statutory right of citizens to appeal Forest Service logging projects.

• Restrict a core principle of our democracy– the right of Americans to seek redress in the court for grievances involving the federal government. The bill limits preliminary injunctive relief to 45 days, and forces any U.S court to render a final decision on the merits of a case within 100 days.

• Not include any specific measures to protect homes or communities from wildfire.

TAKE ACTION:

Call or fax Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and ask them to vote against any legislation implementing the "Healthy Forests Initiative.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein
Phone (415) 393-0707
Fax (415) 393-0710

Senator Barbara Boxer
Phone (415) 403-0100
Fax (415) 956-6701


SAMPLE LETTER TO FAX:

Dear Senator Feinstein/Boxer,

Please oppose any legislation which would encourage increased logging in or weaken environmental protection for our national forests. I do not believe that logging large trees– as President Bush's "Healthy Forests Initiative" advocates– will prevent forest fires. A study by Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project, commissioned by Congress, concluded that "Timber harvest, through its effects on forest structure, local microclimate and fuels accumulation, has increased fire severity more than any other recent human activity."
I urge you to oppose any plan that suspends environmental laws or limits public involvement in forest management decisions. In addition please work to end any contracts that allow logging companies to be paid with trees instead of cash for conducting fuels-reduction logging on public lands.
Funds for fuels reduction should be concentrated on areas where fires pose the greatest threat to human safety and property– in the immediate vicinity of homes and communities. The percentage of fuel-reduction budget the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management spend on the "Community Zone" should be increased to 85 percent from its current level of 39 percent.

Sincerely,
Your name
Your address