--- Scott Hed <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> From: "Scott Hed" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: CONGRESS PASSES OMNIBUS BILL
> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 11:29:28 -0600
>
> A heartfelt thanks for everyone's hard work over the
> past week! Below is
> the Omnibus update the Alaska Rainforest Campaign
> has posted to the web
> (www.akrain.org).
>
>
> UPDATE:
>
> Last night after a "motion to recommit" failed along
> party lines in the
> House of Representatives, the House and the Senate
> moved quickly to pass
> the massive Omnibus spending bill.
>
> The GOOD NEWS - because of the incredible outpouring
> of support for the
> Tongass and Chugach National Forest some of the most
> outrageous
> rainforest 'riders' were defeated! In particular,
> against great odds we
> succeeded in keeping 14.7 million acres of Alaska's
> wild rainforest
> protected under the landmark Roadless Rule.
>
> Other harmful provisions which were successfully
> removed from the bill
> before final passage include:
>
> * an attempt to insulate the 1997 Tongass Forest
> Plan from legal
> challenge which would have set a terrible national
> precedent.
>
> * an attempt to Amend the bipartisan 1990 Tongass
> Timber Reform Act to
> revive the timber industry's failed legal argument
> that they are
> entitled to whatever amount and kind of logging they
> want.
>
> SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP!  We
> must also thank the
> many Democrats AND Republicans who worked hard to
> see that many of the
> worst anti-environmental riders were removed from
> the bill.
>
> Unfortunately, the Omnibus Bill heads to the
> President's desk with the
> Tongass Anti-Wilderness language intact. This
> harmful Tongass provision
> rubber-stamps a wilderness review on the Tongass
> that is not even
> complete yet, precluding any appeals or court
> actions regardless of
> potentially significant legal violations and disdain
> of public comments.
>
> The Forest Service will release its final decision
> on the review in the
> next several weeks and is expected to discount the
> overwhelming public
> support for additional permanent protection of the
> Tongass and recommend
> no new Wilderness protection for the
> nine-million-plus acres of pristine
> roadless areas under review. With the Roadless Rule
> still in place for
> Alaska's forest (again thanks to your efforts) the
> 9-plus million acres
> under consideration by the Bush Administration for
> Wilderness
> recommendations are administratively. The Roadless
> Rule prohibits road
> building and commercial logging in Inventoried
> Roadless Areas (IRA) of
> the National Forest System. Tongass National Forest
> roadless areas
> constitute close to one-sixth of all the roadless
> acreage in the
> country.
> However, led by Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark
> Rey, the Bush
> Administration has indicated it will undertake a new
> rulemaking process
> that could significantly undermine the key
> protections offered by the
> current Rule.
>
> We will keep you posted on the Wilderness Review,
> Roadless Rule updates
> and more over the coming weeks.
>
> Also included in the bill as passed;
>
> * The Stewardship Contracting rider turns management
> of public forests
> over to the timber industry by allowing the agencies
> to enter into an
> unlimited number of 10-year contracts with logging
> companies between now
> and 2013 letting them significantly increase logging
> on public lands
> with little congressional oversight.
>
> * Arctic National Wildlife Refuge language permits
> the use of FY 2003
> funds to conduct work in preparation for oil leasing
> in the Refuge,
> without Congress specifically appropriating such
> funds.
>
> . Exempts renewal of the aging Trans Alaska Pipeline
> from environmental
> and public review.
>
>
>
> For more information contact: Laurie Cooper, Alaska
> Coalition, Forest
> Issues Director ([log in to unmask]).
>
> Laurie Cooper
> Forest Outreach Director
> Alaska Coalition
> 122 C Street, NW - Suite 240
> Washington, DC 20001
> (202)544-0475, Fax: (202)544-5197
>
> Visit us on the web www.alaskacoalition.org!
>
>
>
>


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