Tuesday, by a vote of 283 to 145, the House of Representatives passed the 
Andrews/Chabot Tongass subsidy amendment, marking a victory for our country's 
largest national forest and the American taxpayer.  This vote was the third 
time that the House has passed the measure, but never before has it received 
such a sweeping, bipartisan show of support.

The amendment - offered to the Interior Appropriations bill by Reps. Robert 
Andrews (D-NJ) and Steve Chabot (R-OH) - was designed to stop taxpayer 
dollars from being used to build new logging roads in the Tongass National 
Forest, the world's largest intact temperate rainforest.

In the upcoming months, the Tongass subsidy measure will also have to meet 
approval from the Senate.

Congressman Boswell did Not support the amendment - we need to express 
disappointment about his vote. We'd really like to get an idea of what his 
concerns on this amendment are.

His Environment staffer is Alexis Taylor and her email is
[log in to unmask]

It would be good to contact her on this.
Jane Clark

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2007
Contact: Lois Norrgard
Tel: 952-881-7282 or Email: [log in to unmask]

U.S. House Votes to Limit Tongass Roads to Nowhere Subsidies
Taxpayers and America's Rainforest in Alaska Protected

WASHINGTON, DC- In a strong show of bipartisanship, last night the House of 
Representatives voted to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for logging 
roads in the Tongass National Forest. The amendment to the FY2008 Interior 
Appropriations bill, sponsored by Reps. Robert Andrews (D-NJ) and Steve 
Chabot (R-OH), won by a comfortable margin of 283 to 145. The amendment is 
supported by a broad coalition of taxpayer and budget watchdog groups, 
sportsmen and conservationists.

"This is a terrific victory for America's Rainforest and America's 
taxpayers," said Lois Norrgard, Alaska Wilderness League, Upper Midwest 
office. "The Tongass is home to one of the government's most ridiculous 
subsidies - tens of millions of dollars are wasted each year on roads to 
nowhere that are only used to clearcut the world's largest remaining coastal 
temperate rainforest."

The cost to the American taxpayer for logging in the Tongass National Forest 
has topped $1 billion since 1982. According to an independent analysis of 
Forest Service records, the Tongass timber program has operated at an 
average loss of $40 million each year.

"Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot designed flexibility into the 
National Forest System" stated Jay Bellinger, retired manager, Kodiak 
National Wildlife Refuge and board member of Wildlife Forever.  "The 
greatest good for the greatest number over the long run was their goal.  In 
the 21st century on Alaska's Tongass National Forest, the greatest good 
results from keeping all high quality fish and wildlife areas intact for 
future generations of outdoor recreators.  By contrast, a taxpayer subsidy 
to clearcut the Tongass's remaining roadless watersheds violates Roosevelt 
and Pinchot's intent."

This victory follows the close of a public comment period on a revision of 
Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP). The agency received over 100,000 
comments in opposition to their "proposed action" in the draft plan which 
leaves open to clearcutting most of the roadless areas which contain 
old-growth forest and projects building more than 4,300 miles of new logging 
roads. According to Forest Service estimates, Tongass logging roads costs 
between $160,000 and $500,000 per mile to construct.

The Tongass National Forest is this country's largest national forest and 
the world's last intact temperate rainforest. Centuries-old trees provide 
critical habitat for wolves, grizzly bears, wild salmon, bald eagles and 
other wildlife that have disappeared from many other parts of the country. 
During the last 45 years, the Alaska timber industry has logged over 1 
million acres of Southeast Alaska's old-growth forest.

"The leadership provided by Reps. Andrews and Chabot was invaluable," said 
Cindy Shogan, Executive Director of the Alaska Wilderness League. "Americans 
and Tongass wildlife owe them a great thanks."

In Iowa, Representatives' Braley and Loebsack supported the amendment.


About Alaska Wilderness League - Your Land. Your Voice.
Alaska Wilderness League's mission is to lead the effort to preserve Alaska's 
wilderness by engaging citizens, sharing resources, collaborating with other 
organizations, educating the public, and providing a courageous, constant 
and victorious voice for Alaska in the nation's capital.  It is the only 
organization dedicated solely to the preservation of Alaska's wilderness in 
the nation's capital.

About Wildlife Forever.
Wildlife Forever is a national nonprofit conservation organization 
headquartered in Brooklyn Center,
Minnesota. The mission of Wildlife Forever is "to conserve America's 
wildlife heritage through conservation
education, preservation of habitat, and management of fish and wildlife." As 
the nonprofit conservation arm of the North American Hunting Club and North 
American Fishing Club, Wildlife Forever represents the wildlife conservation 
interests of 1.3 million outdoor enthusiasts.

 

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