Boise Cascade's lasting effect on Bitterroot National Forest

[Guest guest]

Rainforest Action Network - Monthly Email Newsletter

January 2002

 

 

Welcome! Thank you for being a partner in Rainforest Action Network's

campaigns. Read on to get the latest news and learn how you can help

save the world's rainforests.

 

In this post:

 

1. Boise Cascade's lasting effect on Bitterroot National Forest

2. First tree-sit ever in South America! Vote in Parliament tomorrow!

 

____________________

 

Boise Cascade's lasting effects on our national forests

 

 

Timber company Boise Cascade has a far-reaching negative impact on our

national forests. A close look at the recent decision to log Montana's

Bitterroot National Forest reveals how this industry giant could

devastate any and all of the nation's remaining forests.

 

Boise Cascade has been the lead plaintiff in a successful lawsuit to

prevent implementation of the U.S. Roadless Area Conservation Policy.

This roadless policy was the most popular federal policymaking decision

in U.S. history- more than 1.5 million Americans submitted comments

expressing support for the measure.

 

The initiative would have prevented commercial logging and road-building

in 58.5 million acres of undeveloped wilderness. Two days after the

policy was finalized, Boise Cascade filed suit against the initiative

and succeeded in halting its implementation. An appeal is pending.

 

This attack on forest preservation has directly affected our national

treasures. On December 16th, 2001, Mark Rey (former timber-industry

lobbyist and top Agriculture Department official) signed off on a large

logging of fire-damaged trees in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest.

Burned trees ordinarily provide animal habitat, and their root systems

prevent erosion. Removing the trees could cause nearby streams to be

engulfed with mud and imperil nearly extinct fish.

 

Rey used a little-known loophole to prevent the public from seeking

changes in the project. Environmental lawyers say his action created a

dangerous precedent that could allow the Bush administration to

fast-track industry proposals to log, mine and drill on national-forest

lands.

 

The massive logging project planned for Bitterroot would ruin pristine

roadless areas and interfere with the national recovery of the forest.

Fortunately, a federal judge recently put the venture on hold while he

investigates charges by two environmental groups that Rey overstepped

his authority. Meanwhile, a firestorm is brewing over the Bush

administration's efforts to let companies log and mine in legally

preserved virgin national forests.

 

 

____________________

 

Citigroup-backed pipeline up for vote in German State Parliament

tomorrow!

 

First tree-sit ever in South America! As of this posting, Mindo youth,

members of the community, students, and environmentalists continue a

tree-sit in Ecuador's Mindo Nambillo Cloudforest to protest the OCP

Consortium pipeline. The Citigroup-backed pipeline is the center of a

strong political controversy in Ecuador and abroad.

 

German bank West LB granted a $900 million credit to the OCP Consortium

for the construction of the new Ecuador pipeline. The credit's

illegality was demonstrated when it came to light that the project does

not meet World Bank or Ecuadorian environmental standards, requirements

for projects financed by WestLB.

 

The controversy surrounding the $900 million credit has caused political

upheaval in Germany. By THIS THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, the Parliament of

the German state of Westphalia will decide whether or not to cancel the

credit. This in turn would increase the problems faced by the OCP

Consortium in constructing the pipeline.

 

It is crucial that Parliament reject this project. If this occurs,

Citigroup will also face pressure to end its financial backing of the

OCP pipeline. Send a strong message to the Parliament of Westphalia and

tell them to immediately drop the disastrous OCP project!

 

Email the Prime Minister of Westphalia in Germany:

Mr. Wolfgang Clement:

wolfgang.clement

 

And e-mail, write, call, or fax the Minister of Economy of Federal State

of North Rhine-Westphalia

 

Mr. Ernst Schwanhold

Haroldstr. 4, 40213 Duesseldorf, Germany

Phone: ++49-211-837-02

Fax: ++49-211-837-2200

E-Mail: poststelle

 

Dear Sirs,

I am writing to bring your attention to an environmental and social

tragedy in the making--one that you have the power to avert. The new OCP

oil pipeline in Ecuador will bring devastation to the communities,

protected ecosystems, and pristine rainforests along its 300-mile route.

 

The OCP pipeline route affects eleven protected areas and cuts through

the middle of the Mindo Nambillo Cloudforest Reserve. This is an area

designated as the first " Important Bird Area " of South America with over

450 species of birds. At this moment, affected community members and

environmentalists are occupying the Reserve to prevent any further

destruction of this rare forest.

 

The pipeline will lead to the doubling of oil production in the

Ecuadorian Amazon, threatening the country's last remaining old growth

rainforest, where several indigenous communities live. An oil

production increase of this magnitude will severely impact the

Afro-Ecuadorian communities of Esmeraldas, who already suffer from the

chronic contamination caused by the country's only refinery. I urge you

to visit these communities to listen to their protests.

 

The bank's claims that the OCP pipeline follows World Bank guidelines

are unfounded. The OCP pipeline violates the Bank's Natural Habitat

Policy. This policy requires that critical habitats (such as the Mindo

protected area) be avoided altogether. Furthermore, World Bank

guidelines require that strategic environmental impact assessments be

carried out that assess the long-term impacts (such as additional wells,

flow lines, and refineries) and ensure that they be mitigated or

avoided.

 

This pipeline project places fragile ecosystems, countless endangered

and threatened species, and hundreds of communities in jeopardy. It

could lead to irreversible destruction of Ecuador's national parks and

frontier forests.

 

In line with the concerns of Mrs. Baerbel Hoehn, Minister of Environment

for NRW, I urge you to immediately cancel all loan disbursement to the

OCP project. I also call on you to end financing of oil exploration and

production in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

 

Sincerely,

[Date, your name and address]

 

For More info on the Tree-Sit in Ecuador go to:

http://www.ran.org/news/newsitem.php?id=474

 

To find out more about Citigroup's financial backing of Perez compac and

OCP go to:

http://www.ran.org/ran_campaigns/citigroup/cs_ocp.html

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

AOL Links

 

<A HREF= " www.ran.org " >RAN's website</A>

<A HREF= " http://www.ran.org/action/alerts.html " >Action alert</A>

<A HREF= " http://www.ran.org/news/newsitem.php?id=474 " > Tree Sit</A>

 

 

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