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Bush's Proposed Forest Rules: A Gift to Big Timber
At the urging of big logging companies, the Bush administration has suspended a 2000 finalized forest protection rule and proposed a fundamental rewrite of the rules that guide development of management plans for each of our national forests -- the National Forest Management Act regulations. The proposal attempts to create weak and unenforceable standards for wildlife conservation, make most forest land available for industrial use and eliminate environmental review for the 15-year management plans. April 7, 2003, is the deadline for sending your comments to the Forest service asking them to drop this ill-conceived proposal.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Official Comment on NFMA proposed rule changes
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am submitting this letter as an official comment to your proposed rewrite of the National Forest Management Act regulations as published in the Federal Register on December 6.
I am particularly opposed to the attempt to change what have historically been mandatory and enforceable requirements for maintaining viable populations of wildlife in our national forests into optional considerations that could be left to the complete discretion of forest planners. This flaw is contained in both of the alternative wildlife viability requirements presented in the December 6 proposal.
Similarly unacceptable is the proposal's indication that forest planning may be categorically excluded from the National Environmental Policy Act. As our nation's bedrock environmental law, NEPA ensures both full consideration of potential environmental impacts of planning decisions and meaningful public participation. I am also troubled that the draft regulations seek to create a presumption that national forest lands are open to logging and other development first, and that other uses of our national forests should be a secondary consideration.
The obvious attempt to create broad discretion throughout all aspects of these proposed regulations calls into question the very foundation upon which the National Forest Management Act was based. I urge you abandon these proposed regulations in their entirety and return to the balanced and accountable forest planning envisioned by the NFMA.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
April 03, 2003
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In late-November 2002, the Bush administration proposed a radical and sweeping rewrite of the forest policy that has governed the nation since shortly after passage of the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) reform legislation in 1976. The changes seek to eliminate or seriously weaken vital safeguards for all of America's 155 national forests, allowing reckless logging by timber-industry profiteers and the destruction of habitat for many species of wildlife.
Under this proposed rule, forest plans could be adopted and revised without preparing an environmental impact statement, leaving the American people with only minimum information about the environmental effects of Forest Service proposals. The comment period on the proposed rule ends on April 7, 2003.
Listening to the Timber Industry Not the Scientists
Industrial interests have tried for more than a decade to have the NFMA's wildlife management requirements removed, claiming they impede logging, mining, oil and gas drilling, and motorized recreation. When the regulations were revised in 2000, they did not turn out the way industrial interests wanted due to extensive scientific and public input. At industry's request, the Bush Administration pulled the revised regulations and promised to rewrite them. The agencies proposed new rule indicates the Bush Administration is listening only to industry in this process. In particular, the agency has indicated plans to discard scientifically developed standards for assuring that logging and other activities do not undermine wildlife conservation objectives. Other proposals attempt to undermine environmental analyses, compliance with the Endangered Species Act, and the ability of the public to participate in management decisions.
NFMA Requires Wildlife Be Protected
In 1976, Congress passed the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) to direct how National Forests are managed, specifically charging the Forest Service with maintaining the diversity of animals and plants on its lands. The law requires each forest and grassland to create a Forest Plan to guide how the land is managed. NFMA is based upon the premise that a comprehensive analysis of environmental impacts leads to better management decisions. NFMA's implementing regulations were originally developed based on input from a blue-ribbon "Committee of Scientists." The regulations require the Forest Service to maintain well-distributed, "viable populations of native and desired non-native vertebrate species" on National Forests. To comply with these provisions, Forest Service regional offices maintain lists of "sensitive species" -- those that are not yet officially designated endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act but for which there is concern and evidence of decline. These NFMA wildlife management requirements act as an early warning system by requiring that the needs of sensitive species are specifically considered in forest management before they become threatened or endangered.
In 1997, the Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service began updating the NFMA regulations to reflect new knowledge and science. A second high level Committee of Scientists was convened to advise the regulation revision process. The Committee urged that National Forests be managed in an ecologically sustainable manner which maintains all native wildlife. Revised regulations based on their input, plus three years of development and public involvement, were adopted in November, 2000. Five months later, in May, 2001, responding to the complaints of industrial interests, the Bush Administration withdrew those regulations and announced plans to rewrite them. Their proposed rewrite was published in the Federal Register on December 6.
Wildlife At Risk
The National Forest System includes 155 National Forests and 20 National Grasslands encompassing more than 191 million acres. Though much used for timber, mineral and energy production, and outdoor recreation, these forest lands also harbor much of the nation's biological diversity. National Forests provide habitat for more than 25% of the imperiled species at risk of extinction in the U.S., including more intact populations of these rare species than any other federal land system. National Forests and grasslands are therefore critical to safeguarding wildlife and biodiversity in the U.S. Weakening NFMA regulations, especially the wildlife viability regulation, will lead to the need to list more species as threatened and endangered. (courtesy of www.saveourenvironment.org)
Review the draft rule
Participating in this action will send a fax or email to Chief Dale Bosworth at the Forest Service. If you wish to submit your own comments, send written comments to: USDA FS Planning Rule, Content Analysis Team, PO Box 8359, Missoula, MT 59807; via email to planning_rule@fs.fed.us; or by facsimile to Planning Rule Comments at
(406) 329-3556.
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