PLEASE CONTACT SENATORS HARKIN AND GRASSLEY

ACTION NEEDED TODAY -

A VOTE TO PROTECT THE TONGASS EXPECTED TODAY IN THE U.S. SENATE!

Contact your Senators and urge them to vote to support Senator Barbara
Boxer's amendment to remove the Tongass Judicial Review rider from the
interior appropriations bill. Action has sped up on the Interior
Appropriations bill - debate begins today, September 17!

ACTION:
Ask our Senators to VOTE YES on the BOXER AMENDMENT TO STRIKE THE TONGASS
JUDICIAL REVIEW RIDER. Urge them to make the Interior Appropriations Bill a
clean bill without language that would cut the American public out of their
right to speak out on behalf of America's rainforest!

Let's call the offices (202-224-3121) and keep the fax machines busy in the
U.S. Senate! (A sample message is included below.)  You can find your
Senators contact information at:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Or send a fax directly from the Alaska Rainforest Campaign website:
http://www.akrain.org/action/faxes/actionpage.asp


BACKGROUND:
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is stepping up to the plate to champion an
amendment to strike the Tongass Judicial Review Rider (Section 333),
inserted by Senator Ted Stevens, from Interior Appropriations bill (S.
1391). The rider cripples the public's due process and slams the courthouse
door on citizens whose interests may be threatened by proposed logging
projects in the Tongass National Forest-our nation's largest public forest.

The rider makes it virtually impossible for citizens to challenge logging
projects by limiting to 30 days the time available to file lawsuits on more
than 73 Tongass logging projects including over a dozen sales where all or
portions of the sale area are currently covered by the Roadless Area
Conservation Rule. Despite overwhelming opposition, the Bush administration
is expected to finalize an exemption of the Tongass National Forest from the
Roadless Rule allowing for these controversial sales to move forward with
little ability for the public to meaningfully engage in the process.

The rider also interferes with the independence of the federal judiciary by
limiting to 180 days the time the District Federal Court in Alaska has to
review and render a final decision on lawsuits regarding logging projects on
the Tongass National Forest. This is clear interference with the
independence of the federal judiciary; the rider's time limits could force
the court to consider challenges to federal timber sales before hearing
other cases on its docket.

Here's how you can help!

ACTION:
Ask your Senators to VOTE YES on the BOXER AMENDMENT TO STRIKE THE TONGASS
JUDICIAL REVIEW RIDER. Urge them to make the Interior Appropriations Bill a
clean bill without language that would cut the American public out of their
right to speak out on behalf of America's rainforest! Here's a sample
message for your calls and a letter you can personalize in an email or fax.

SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE:

Hello, I'm a constituent from your state and I've just learned about a
backdoor attempt which threatens America's Rainforest and seeks to silence
the public's overwhelming support for the Tongass National Forest. I urge
you to vote YES on the BOXER AMENDMENT to strike the Tongass Judicial Review
rider from the Interior Appropriations bill.


SAMPLE EMAIL OR FAX MESSAGE:

Dear Senator,

I'm a constituent from your state and I've just learned about a backdoor
attempt which threatens America's Rainforest and seeks to silence the
public's overwhelming support for the Tongass National Forest. I urge you to
vote for Senator Barbara Boxer's amendment to remove the Tongass Judicial
Review language (Section 333) from the FY2004 Interior Appropriations bill
(S. 1391).

The rider cripples the public's due process and slams the courthouse door on
citizens whose interests may be threatened by proposed logging projects in
the Tongass National Forest-our nation's largest public forest. The rider
makes it virtually impossible for citizens to challenge logging projects by
limiting to 30 days the time available to file lawsuits on more than 73
Tongass logging projects including over a dozen sales where all or portions
of the sale area are currently covered by the Roadless Area Conservation
Rule. It also interferes with the independence of the federal judiciary by
limiting to 180 days the time the District Federal Court in Alaska has to
review and render a final decision on lawsuits regarding logging projects on
the Tongass National Forest.

The rider sets a terrible precedent for other riders and bills that would
seek to limit judicial review for logging projects across the country. Even
though relatively few lawsuits ever get filed, it is the ability of private
citizens to do so in defense of their rights and interests that keeps the
federal government and the timber industry accountable.

Again, I urge you to support protecting America's rainforest by voting yes
on Senator Boxer's amendment to remove the Tongass judicial review language
from the Interior Appropriations bill.


Thank you.

Sincerely,

NAME and full address

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