Bush Plans Further Cuts in Forest Protections

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Tue, 01 Mar 2005 14:05:04 GMT

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Bush Plans Further Cuts in Forest Protections

 

 

Bush Green WAtch

 

March 1, 2005 | Back Issues

 

Bush Plans Further Cuts in Forest Protections

 

Next Monday marks the final day for public comment on a proposed new

Bush Administration rule that will restrict public input and

environmental review of forest management plans under the National

Forest Management Act (NFMA). It will also rescind wildlife

protections that were established decades ago under President Reagan.

 

Under the Bush Administration's proposed forest plan rules, it would

no longer be necessary to complete an environmental impact statement,

a basic requirement of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

 

This is not the first move by the Bush Administration to reduce the

role of NEPA in forest policy. Its " Healthy Forest Initiative "

eliminated nearly all environmental reviews for logging in the

public's forests. [1]

 

Environmental impact statements ensure that forest decisions are based

on the best available science. By removing this step, an important

tool for forest managers to evaluate plans for potential harm to

water, wildlife, old-growth and roadless areas is eliminated.

 

Wildlife viability requirements will also be negated, meaning that

viable levels of native fish and wildlife populations will no longer

need to be maintained. The Forest Service will also be relieved of

duties to monitor wildlife populations. Instead, forest plans need

only a " framework to provide the characteristics of ecosystem

diversity in the plan area. " [2] Disclosure, and even studying,

cumulative impacts of management activities across the national

forests will be unnecessary under the new regulations.

 

The proposed changes also ignore the role of science in the

decision-making process. Under the new rules, agency officials are

actually given the discretion to ignore scientific evidence and

recommendations. [3]

 

Environmentalists point out that lack of reliable public information

regarding environmental consequences of forest plans -- combined with

increased discretionary power over the level of scientific involvement

in forest planning -- will mean an open door for corporate incursions

into timber, mining and oil resources in our nation's forests.

 

" This is yet another example of the Bush administration putting

industry profits ahead of the interests of Americans, " Randi Spivak,

executive director of the American Lands Alliance, told

BushGreenwatch. " The new rules reject science and demonstrate blatant

disregard for public input. Americans care deeply about the places

where they hike, fish and relax, and want to protect these places for

future generations. With Bush¹s allegiance to the timber, oil and gas

industries, what is now a forest heritage could soon be history. "

 

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TAKE ACTION

Submit a comment through the American Lands Alliance.

 

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SOURCES:

[1] Sierra Club alert.

[2] WildLaw white paper.

[3] Ibid.

 

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