More response to Glenn Pollock's question about losses in the national forests. Jane, the Sierra Club estimates the Forest Service loses over a billion dollars per year on their timber program. The Wilderness Society estimates the losses closer to $300 - $350 million but acknowledges they do not count all the costs. The Government Accounting Office calculated losses of $995 million between 1992 and 1994. And the Forest Service itself admitted losing money for the first time in 1997 - even their arcane and biased accounting systems showed a loss of over $80 million. A report was just put out in December by the National Forest Protection Alliance (a 'no commercial logging on public lands' coalition) entitled "The Economic Case Against National Forest Logging" which is very relevant. It can be requested from the Forest Conservation Council in Santa Fe, NM, at 505-986-1163. For Sierra Club reports I would direct Glenn to Rene Voss here in D.C., 202-547-9124. Mike ---------- Mike Leahy Director, Forest Campaign National Audubon Society - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]