CALLS NEEDED:
SENATE FIRE BILL ON THE FLOOR AGAIN TOMORROW

The Senate fire bill was on the floor today and debate on the bill will
continue tomorrow.  A procedural vote did take place today (97-1) to accept
the Cochran-Wyden-Feinstein Healthy Forests Substitute amending the House
passed bill.  This means that the House version of HR1904 was rejected and
that the Cochran-Wyden-Feinstein Healthy Forests Substitute bill will now be
open for further amendments.  Senator Boxer (D-CA) offered two amendments to
the bill this afternoon on fire fighter safety and air quality.

When this bill is taken up tomorrow, a number of amendments will be offered.
In addition to the list of amendments that we sent out this morning, there
are a number of new amendments that will be offered (see list below). Your
help is needed to ask Senators to support these amendments and to oppose the
final passage of the Senate version of HR 1904.

Please call Senators Harkin and Grassley toll free at 1-800-839-5276 or by
calling the Capital Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and urge them to vote NO on
the Senate version of H.R. 1904 and VOTE YES ON AMENDMENTS.

Please call the Senators' office and ask for the Legislative Assistant (LA)
that works on forest issues.  Please urge that the Senator should:

·        VOTE NO on the final passage of HR 1904, which will advance the
Bush Administration's misnamed Healthy Forests Initiative and do nothing to
require protections of homes and communities.

·        VOTE YES on Senator Tom Harkin's amendment to add a 5-year sunset
to the bill.

·        VOTE YES on Senator Boxer's amendment to direct 70 percent of the
money authorized in this bill to be spent on fuels reduction projects that
will protect people, their homes and their communities.

·        VOTE YES on Senator Leahy's amendment to strip the bill's
unwarranted provisions to interfere with this nation's independent judicial
process.  Several GAO studies have clearly shown that the current process
for judicial review and citizen involvement have had virtually no effect on
the completion of fuels treatment projects.

·        VOTE YES on Senator Murray's amendment to close loopholes that
threaten old growth.

·        VOTE YES on Senator Cantwell's amendment to strike the bill's
provisions that would significantly undermine the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA).

·        VOTE YES on Senator Jeff Bingaman's three amendments:

1.      To appropriate $100 million per year to conduct fuels reduction work
on state, tribal and private property - nonfederal lands that pose the
greatest risk of igniting homes/structures - which make up 85 percent of the
Community Protection Zone.

2.      To require that logging "slash" be treated upon completion of all
hazardous fuels reduction projects. Completing follow-up slash treatments in
a timely manner is critical as "slash" intensifies wildfire risks and
increases the likelihood of insect infestation and disease will spread in
our national forests.

3.      To protect this country's precious National Monuments - as
designated by Congress, our national monuments, preserves, and scenic areas
should not be destroyed by unnecessary logging projects rather, preserved
for future generations to enjoy.

Forwarded from American Lands by Jane Clark

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