Hey everyone! Please forward to everyone who cares about wild areas in Alaska. While we've all been hearing about how the Arctic would be attacked, the delegation from Alaska is using the current attention on the Arctic to go after the magnificent trees in the Tongass National Forest. THE SENATE EXPECTS TO ACT ON THIS BY SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, SO CALL AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS!!! Please read the alert, make your calls, and forward this notice to your friends, family, casual acquaintences, or perfect strangers! Thanks everyone! Subject: TONGASS LANGUAGE IN OMNIBUS APPROPS BILL It's back! An attack on Tongass wilderness and roadless areas has made its way into the FY03 Omnibus Appropriations bill. We were successful in stopping multiple attempts by the Alaska delegation to attach the same language to appropriations bills last year, but Senator Stevens hasn't given up. Well, neither have we! We need calls to our friends in the Senate and House! Ask Congress to make the Omnibus FY03 appropriations a clean bill without language that would silence the American public's support for protecting the Alaskan rainforest! The following is the bad Tongass language which is buried in the omnibus bill - SECTION 329: The Record of Decision for the 2002 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the 1997 Tongass Land Management Plan shall not be reviewed under any Forest Service administrative appeal process and its adequacy shall not be subject to judicial review by any court of the United States. Call the Capitol switchboard number (202-224-3121), ask to be connected to your Senator, and tell them that the Omnibus FY03 appropriations needs to be free and clear of language damaging to the Tongass National Forest. When you're done with your Senators, call the swithcboard again and ask to be connected to your member of Congress. Same message! 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! Erik DuMont National Field Director Alaska Wilderness League 122 C Street, NW Suite 240 Washington, DC 20001 (202) 544-5205, f: (202) 544-5197 [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> www.alaskawild.org <http://www.alaskawild.org> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp