Even Sen. Feinstein Wants to Pass Bush's Plan to Curb Forest Fires

NewsMax ^ | 10/28/03 | Chuck Noe

[kellynla]

It is outrageous that lives are lost, hundreds of homes lost, a hundred thousand acres of forest burned and the morons in Sacramento and DC have yet to do anything about the bark bettles that have devastated an entire countryside. This should have never happened! HEADS SHOULD ROLL!!!

[Marysecretary]

Oh, brother. I hope the homeowners revolt against this kind of stupidity! It's getting bizarre, isn't it?

[Marysecretary]

How do these people sleep at night?

[ravingnutter]

Nope, he/she ain't spoofing...from the League of Conservation Voters website:

President Bush is traveling to Tucson today to highlight his plan to allow timber companies unfettered access to logging in national forests. “Bush’s forest policy is one more example of this administration placing special interests above the public interest,” said Betsy Loyless, League of Conservation Voters (LCV) vice president for policy.

Bush’s so-called “Healthy Forests” initiative would do nothing to prevent the real causes of forest fires while limiting public involvement and circumventing environmental reviews of timber industry logging plans.

“President Bush’s rhetoric on forest protection cannot mask his failure to fund projects that would address the real causes of fires that threaten our communities,” continued Loyless.

“Bush’s giveaway to the timber industry would remove only the largest and most fire-resistant trees from our national forests while doing nothing to focus safety efforts on areas that are most in danger.”

Timber Industry Welcomes Bush to AZ with Open Arms

[ravingnutter]

More:

"President Bush is well on his way to compiling the worst environmental record of any president in the history of our nation," said Callahan. "Bush’s dismal Report Card is dominated by a disturbing trend: time after time, Bush favors corporate interests over the public’s interest in a clean, safe and healthy environment. Under the Bush administration, corporate polluters have been allowed to write the laws."

Source

The president's pro-industry agenda swept the House, said LCV President Deb Callahan. "Americans expect the House of Representatives to protect their most precious public lands, but instead they backed President Bush's effort to allow corporate special interests to exploit these areas for profit."

Source

There is another lovely quote on that page from another one of those groups on drilling:

The Natural Resources Defense Council on Thursday called the Bush administration's move to open public land to oil and gas development "in a timely manner" while protecting the environment an effort to give away "our national treasures to the energy industry."

[cgk]

This is dated August 8, 2003.

Release No. 0278.03
Alisa Harrison (202) 720-4623
Heidi Valetkevitch (202) 720-6767

USDA SECURES ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION FOR SAN BERNARDINO FOREST HEALTH CRISIS
New Healthy Forests Initiative tools are making a difference in expediting projects

     LAKE ARROWHEAD, Calif., Aug. 8, 2003 -- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced an additional $5 million for the Lake Arrowhead and Idyllwild areas of the San Bernardino National Forest for forest health projects addressing the significant wildfire threat from thousands of dead and dying trees brought on by the worst recorded drought in California history.

     Secretary Veneman toured the San Bernardino National Forest today with Representative Jerry Lewis to see first hand the impact of drought and pest infestation has had on the health of the forest.

     “The efforts support the President’s Healthy Forests Initiative to address the growing decline in our nation’s forest and rangeland health caused by the unnatural buildup of hazardous fuels and increasing disease and insect infestations,” said Veneman. “With these additional funds, we have more than tripled the San Bernardino National Forest’s original budget for this essential forest health work.”

     Large stands of trees and vegetation are dying in more than 354,000 acres of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains due to a record-breaking four-year drought. The resulting stressed and weakened trees are being killed by rapidly increasing bark beetle populations as well as pathogens, such as root disease and mistletoe. The combination of drought and overcrowded forests has created a significant threat to the approximately 100,000 area residents.

     USDA’s Forest Service will use the funds to continue managing fire risk from tree mortality and bug infestation within and adjacent to communities near the San Bernardino National Forest in San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties. Ongoing work includes removing dead and stressed trees and brush, thinning overstocked stands, replanting trees and vegetation, and providing technical assistance to private landowners and communities. In addition, firefighting resources have been doubled, with additional fire crews and equipment.

     “Forest managers are now saving significant time and money while conducting the work by using the new tools provided under the Healthy Forests Initiative,” said Veneman. “These new tools are cutting in half the time and cost to prepare these high-priority forest health projects.”

     The additional $5 million brings the total funding by the Forest Service to $13.3 million, which includes State Fire Assistance and Community Protection/Community Assistance funding, grants under the National Fire Plan and fuels reduction and forest health monies.

     The Forest Service, in cooperation with a host of state and municipal government agencies, has formed the Mountain Area Safety Task Force (MAST) to address the public safety threat caused by the vegetation mortality. The cooperative efforts of MAST include expediting the removal and disposal of dead trees and other hazardous fuels in and around the forest, providing public safety information to homeowners, and identifying evacuation routes and fire protection zones.

     For information on President Bush’s Healthy Forest Initiative visit www.whitehouse.gov. Information about efforts by USDA’s Forest Service to reduce fuels in the nation’s forests can be found by visiting http://www.usda.gov.

#

[nickcarraway]

ping

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

This year, Feinstein seems to have suddenly become the Arlen Specter of the Democrats.

Let me guess. She is running for re-election?

[pointsal]

So what....a clock is right twice a day.
How much is her hubby going to make in the insurance claim?

[Simmy2.5]

Oddly enough, no. Next year it is Boxer's turn at re-election. Not Fienstien.

Then again, compared to Boxer, Fienstien IMO, is smarter and more logical then Red Boxer. Fienstien actually is hated by the far left of the Dims due to her stance on certain issues like Vouchers in DC and, in this case, the Healthy Forest Initiative. So it isn't COMPLETELY surprising that she supports it since she isn't a leftiest party hack. Doesn't mean that I will vote for her (still too far to the left especially on gun control), but more sane then Boxer thats for sure.

[aristeides]

Arsonists hunted for four fires.

[Carry_Okie]

Feinstein has been on the better side of government forest management for a long time. Witness the Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group legislation.

[Cosmo]

I wish someone would clue in the eco-nuts in central Virginia. Few realize what a fire hazard we have here in the GW national Forest with its vast undergrowth and decaying trees, and dismiss any action by Bush ( particularly regarding his desire to put a halt to the roadless initiative) as simply an aattempt at currying favour with the logging companies.

We're bound to be facing the same problems with which California is currently coping -- I'm betting within the next ten years.

Feel the gin