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103 Conservation Groups To Congress: McInnis Bill Does Nothing to Protect Homes and Communities
Document Actions
Groups claim McInnis Bill will limit citizen participation and increase logging on America's National Forests
For Immediate Release: May 8, 2003
For More Information:
Joseph Vaile, KS Wild (541) 488-5789
Mike Petersen, The Lands Council: (509) 838-4912
Lisa Dix, American Lands Alliance: (202) 547-9105
Ashland, OR - Today, 103 conservation groups from around the nation, including Klamath -Siskiyou Wildlands Center sent a letter every member of the U.S. House of Representatives asking them to oppose Congressman Scott McInnis' "Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003" (HR 1904). The act fails to protect homes and communities from wildfires, while limiting citizen participation and increasing logging on America's National Forests. McInnis' controversial bill will be reviewed by the House Agriculture Committee today and is expected to come to a vote by the full House next week.
"This bill does not include any specific measures to protect homes or communities. It is also inconsistent with the Western Governors' Association 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy, which does not call for any changes in existing laws," the 103 conservation groups state in the letter. "The only proven method to protect homes and communities is to reduce flammable materials in the immediate vicinity of structures, yet the sham definitions in H.R. 1904 would not require any activities to be near homes.
"Instead, the bill seeks to further subsidize the timber industry and eliminate obstacles to logging large, fire-resistant trees miles away from the nearest home. The country's top forest scientists, including the Forest Service's own scientists, have found that this kind of logging can actually increase fire risk and make fires larger and more intense.
"We urge you to oppose this bill, which does not offer more protection to communities at risk from wildfire, but rather seeks to undermine our environmental laws and the judicial process when it comes to logging on our public lands, potentially including national parks and wildlife refuges."
“The McInnis/Walden bill would fail to protect communities from fire, but it would open up the backcountry to unregulated old-growth logging,” said Joseph Vaile of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center. “Old-growth in the backcountry is the last place to go to reduce the threat of fire. I am afraid these politicians are playing on years of drought and the 2002 fire season to get big logs to the timber industry. Everyone knows logging old-growth will make fires worse.”
Mike Petersen, executive director of The Lands Council, a Spokane, Washington conservation group that has helped hundreds of rural homeowners craft individual home protection plans, said, "Forest Service research shows that removing brush and saplings within a few hundred feet of a home will greatly reduce fire risk to homeowners. It's critical to help rural homeowners live with wildfire, rather than squandering scarce resources increasing logging in our National Forests, as the McInnis bill would do."
Lisa Dix, campaign coordinator with the American Lands Alliance stated, "Limiting citizen participation and interfering with America's judicial system in order to cut down large, fire resistant trees miles away from communities will do nothing to protect a community from wildfire, yet this is the exact approach promoted in the McInnis bill and the Bush Administration's 'Healthy Forest Initiative.'"
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For More Information:
Joseph Vaile, KS Wild (541) 488-5789
Mike Petersen, The Lands Council: (509) 838-4912
Lisa Dix, American Lands Alliance: (202) 547-9105
Ashland, OR - Today, 103 conservation groups from around the nation, including Klamath -Siskiyou Wildlands Center sent a letter every member of the U.S. House of Representatives asking them to oppose Congressman Scott McInnis' "Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003" (HR 1904). The act fails to protect homes and communities from wildfires, while limiting citizen participation and increasing logging on America's National Forests. McInnis' controversial bill will be reviewed by the House Agriculture Committee today and is expected to come to a vote by the full House next week.
"This bill does not include any specific measures to protect homes or communities. It is also inconsistent with the Western Governors' Association 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy, which does not call for any changes in existing laws," the 103 conservation groups state in the letter. "The only proven method to protect homes and communities is to reduce flammable materials in the immediate vicinity of structures, yet the sham definitions in H.R. 1904 would not require any activities to be near homes.
"Instead, the bill seeks to further subsidize the timber industry and eliminate obstacles to logging large, fire-resistant trees miles away from the nearest home. The country's top forest scientists, including the Forest Service's own scientists, have found that this kind of logging can actually increase fire risk and make fires larger and more intense.
"We urge you to oppose this bill, which does not offer more protection to communities at risk from wildfire, but rather seeks to undermine our environmental laws and the judicial process when it comes to logging on our public lands, potentially including national parks and wildlife refuges."
“The McInnis/Walden bill would fail to protect communities from fire, but it would open up the backcountry to unregulated old-growth logging,” said Joseph Vaile of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center. “Old-growth in the backcountry is the last place to go to reduce the threat of fire. I am afraid these politicians are playing on years of drought and the 2002 fire season to get big logs to the timber industry. Everyone knows logging old-growth will make fires worse.”
Mike Petersen, executive director of The Lands Council, a Spokane, Washington conservation group that has helped hundreds of rural homeowners craft individual home protection plans, said, "Forest Service research shows that removing brush and saplings within a few hundred feet of a home will greatly reduce fire risk to homeowners. It's critical to help rural homeowners live with wildfire, rather than squandering scarce resources increasing logging in our National Forests, as the McInnis bill would do."
Lisa Dix, campaign coordinator with the American Lands Alliance stated, "Limiting citizen participation and interfering with America's judicial system in order to cut down large, fire resistant trees miles away from communities will do nothing to protect a community from wildfire, yet this is the exact approach promoted in the McInnis bill and the Bush Administration's 'Healthy Forest Initiative.'"
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