Thanks, Jerry -- here is some additional information from American Lands. CALL OUR SENATORS: TAKE ACTION: 1. Please call our Senators MONDAY and educate them as to why the deal is not acceptable (detailed talking points below). You can reach your Senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Or directly: Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), staff James Rice; Phone: 202-224-3744; FAX: 202-224-6020 2. Please call Minority leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) at 202-224-3244. Please educate Senator Daschle on why this deal is not acceptable and ask him why he is handing President Bush one of his top anti-environmental victories by accepting a deal that will fully implement the so-called "Healthy Forests Initiative"? Background: During the first week of October several Senators negotiated a substitute "deal" to the so-called Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (HR 1904), which implements President Bush's so-called Healthy Forests Initiative. The Senators involved in the deal include: Senator Wyden (D-OR), Senator Feinstein (D-CA), Senator Lincoln (D-AR), Senator Bacus (D-MT), Senator Craig (R-ID), Senator Kyl (R-AZ), Senator McCain (R-AZ), Senator Domenici (R-NM), Senator Crapo (R-ID), and Senator Cochran (R-MI). Last week Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), and Senator Johnson (D-SD) also endorsed the deal. **Due to the fact that Senator Daschle decided to support the deal, many other moderate Republicans and pro-environment Senate Democrats believe that the deal is good. The problem is that the deal is not much of an improvement over HR 1904 and will still fully implement President Bush's top anti-environmental initiative -- the so-called "Healthy Forests Initiative." The so-called compromise deal will: 1. Not protect currently healthy forests such as mature and old growth forests and roadless areas 2. Cut citizens out of decisions affecting their public lands 3. Significantly weaken the National Environmental Policy Act 4. Interfere with the independence of the federal judiciary 5. Not ensure increased protection for communities from wildfire It is now up to us to educate members of the Senate that this "deal" is still incredibly problematic and should not pass into law. We need to call our Senators and educate them about the problems with the deal; and to let them know that the environmental community does not support the deal. IMPACT ON OUR INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY: H.R. 1904, as passed by the House, undermines a fundamental, century-old legal principle -- the right of Americans to seek fair and equitable redress in the courts for grievances involving the federal government. The Senate substitute also interferes with how judges manage their courtrooms by ordering courts to lift preliminary injunctions and stays after 60 days, unless they are affirmatively renewed by the court. Moreover, the bill could provide agencies a new tool to slam the courthouse door on citizens by requiring all legal issues to be raised during the administrative review process. PUBLIC INPUT: The Senate substitute seeks to replace the current statutorily-established appeals process with a new process that does not allow appeals of final agency decisions, making it more difficult for Americans to challenge damaging projects and have a meaningful say in public land management. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: The Senate substitute seeks to weaken the most important part of NEPA - the requirement that agencies consider a full range of alternatives to agency proposals with environmental impacts such as logging and road building. The amendment invites gamesmanship by agencies that would effectively nullify the alternatives requirement, which the courts have called the very "heart of NEPA." In addition, Title IV eliminates environmental review for a category of logging projects up to 1,000 acres in size - an area the size of 1,000 football fields -- which would exclude all public review, comment and participation. COMMUNITY PROTECTION: The Senate bill does not ensure any increased protections for homes at risk of wildfire and does not ensure any funding for work on local, state or tribal lands for methods proven by the Forest Service Fire Research Lab to protect homes. Furthermore, it is not consistent with the Western Governors Association's Ten-Year Strategy for reducing wildland fire risks. Communities need and deserve real protection, which requires fuel reduction focused close to homes and communities. OLD GROWTH and ROADLESS FORESTS: The Senate bill attempts to safeguard our old growth forests, but the language offers an open invitation to abuse. Furthermore, the amendment fails to protect roadless areas. The Bush Administration's "Healthy Forests Initiative" fails to deliver on community protection. Please oppose the Senate version of H.R. 1904: uphold our independent judiciary and our environmental protections. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]