Posted on 07/01/2002 10:41:40 AM PDT by BOBTHENAILER
Washington - James Furnish is hardly the kind of person you'd expect to quit his government job on principle during the Bush administration. A political conservative and an evangelical Christian, he voted for President Bush and plans to do the same in 2004.
As a deputy chief of the U.S. Forest Service, he was eager to give his new bosses the benefit of his more than 30 years of experience in the agency. He realized his conservationist ethic might not always prevail. But he was ready to say his piece and then accept the new administration's direction.
Instead, Furnish reluctantly left the government in the fall, at a substantial financial sacrifice, because he was frustrated by what he called the Bush team's strident pro-development philosophy and unwillingness to listen to his perspective.
That makes him one of a number of senior career officials across several environmental agencies who have quit since the Bush administration took over. They include senior lawyers from the Environmental Protection Agency, a state director for the Bureau of Land Management, scientists with years of experience and top bureaucrats in Washington.
Divergent views
In each case, the decision to leave a well-paid job after years or even decades of service reflected concern over the Bush administration's efforts to make environmental regulations more friendly to businesses and promote energy extraction from federal lands.
The departures also reveal that under the Bush team, divergent views in the top ranks of these agencies have been ignored and key career government officials who were seen to favor protecting natural resources over promoting their use have been removed from power.
Whether the number of departures is unusual is difficult to say. No one chronicles resignations on principle, and a Republican had not taken the White House from a Democrat for 20 years.
Eric Ruff, spokesman for the Interior Department, said staff changes are normal in a new administration. "This is not something that's unique to this administration," Ruff said.
Whether or not the departures are unusually numerous, Paul Light, vice president for governmental studies at the nonpartisan Brookings Institution, said they were very costly.
"A lot of these people came to government in the 1960s and 1970s because they beilieved in the mission," Light said. "It's very furstrating for someone who came into government for the mission to reach the top of their career and be told that doesn't matter, it's all about politics."
Although Furnish, for example, was one of the most senior career officials in the Forest Service, the new administration's political appointees did not invite him to any pivotal policy-making meetings.
Three times he was scheduled to testify before Congress; three times political appointees canceled his testimony at the last minute.
Out of the loop
Furnish did not expect to make policy for the new administration, but he did expect that his senior post would give him the right to express his views and be included in policy discussions. Instead, he was shut out.
In the Clinton administration, he played a key role in shaping the policy of banning road building and logging in almost 60 million acres of national forest land. He also was central to an initiative that would have required forest planners to consider environmental preservation above all other goals when deciding how national forests would be managed.
"I've been disappointed and somewhat embittered with how the (Bush) administration has sought to undo them or not defend them," Furnish said. "But I'm a realist and pragmatist and I understand it's their day now."
Furnish took a financial hit by leaving when he did. His retirement income will be about $10,000 less a year for the rest of his life than if he had waited about a year longer.
Forest Service Chief Dale N. Bosworth said Furnish was experiencing the predictable discomforts of a shift in administration.
"Every time we have a change of administration, we have a job of building trust between us and the new administration," said Bosworth, who is also a career government employee. "Until we build that relationship, there is going to be some uneasiness."
Like Furnish, other top career executives in the environmental agencies complain they were cut out of the loop. Some were abruptly reassigned from jobs they loved.
When the Bush administration took office, Martha Hahn, 47, was one of very few women who had reached the level of state director for the Bureau of Land Management. She was responsible for 12 million acres in Idaho, alomost one-quarter of the state.
In seven years on the job, she said she tried to balance preserving clean water, wilderness and wildlife with allowing multiple uses of the land, such as grazing.
EPA director quits
Soon after the Bush administration took over, things changed. Headquarters started making decisions on her turf without her. Some of her decisions, such as those on grazing plans, were overruled in Washington.
But even before the new BLM chief officially started work, Hahn received a letter from Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles telling her that she was being transferred to a previously nonexistent job in New York City. For a land manager who loves the Rocky Mountain West, it was the equivalent of being put out to pasture.
Hahn quit instead. "It's been a shock," she said. "I'm going through mental anguish right now. I felt like I was at the prime of my career. I was really clicking along, and I was tossed out."
The career official who made the most waves when he left was Eric Schaeffer, the former head of the EPA's enforcement office. He quit in March after 12 years at the agency, accusing the new administration of endangering public health by failing to aggressively pursue pending lawsuits against coal-fired power plants.
He and his staff could almost taste the victory from agreements in principle with two utilities to make massive pollution reductions. He said the administration undermined those settlements by waffling on the policy behind the lawsuits.
His departure was covered widely by the news media, and he testified about his complaints before Congress.
New blood leaves
Younger government employees who became government servants to help protect the environment also have quit.
After just three years as an EPA staff attorney, Michele Merkel, 34, was convinced of the essential role that lawsuits and fines lay in forcing companies to abide by environmental regulations.
She was discouraged when Christie Whitman, the EPA's new administrator, told her unit she wanted to play down enforcement and instead lure companies to stop polluting voluntarily.
She was further disappointed when Whitman proposed cutting the enforcement budget and reducing the enforcement staff through attrition.
"Ultimately what drove me out of the agency was the anti-enforcement philosophy of the current administration," Merkel said.
Merkel and the other officials who quit said they left many disgruntled colleagues behind.
Jeff Rook, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said his agency has talked with at least 20 Interior employees weighing quitting.
"They find themselves increasingly despairing; they're being asked to undo the work they've spent the bulk of their careers doing," Rook said.
Honestly, these people are fascists and need to go.
I've heard from a truly credible source that the policy of the Bush Admin is to slowly replace all department heads they can, transfer to virtual Siberia those they cannot and install their people in all vacancies. Looks like its working.
I understand that that situation caused a certain number of problems in terms of cronyism and a lack of continuity...but it had its advantages as well.
I would have liked to see thousands of career bureaucrats gone when Bush took office...the Clintons had done plenty of damage in eight years, not the least of which was in the area of personnel.
But if it takes political pressure to make them leave, I'm all for it.
Much of the damage to the West that these yahoos have caused in the last decade is irreversible...but it is way past time to stop the hemorraging.
EV
This piece would sure seem to confirm that.
Hurrah!!
I really hated to post anything from the Detroit Free Press, which is as liberal a rag as any.
I couldn't resist this one though. The reporter's attempts to glorify these high minded, noble crybabies only serves to make them look worse.
Amen to that, brother.
Hey, maybe the demise of their high priests will make the whole church of Gaia fold...
;-)
(I can hope, can't I?)
Now that would TRULY be poetic justice. However, if that were to occur, I'm sure the justice served up to these people would be more along the lines of wild west justice.
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION CLOSES COURTHOUSE DOOR -- HON. DON YOUNG (Extension of Remarks - September 25, 1996)
[Page: E1679]
Case name | Suit number | District | Attorney fees paid | |
1. Biodiversity Legal Foundation v. Babbitt | 95-601 | Colorado | $1,000.00 | |
2. Biodiversity Legal Foundation v. Babbitt | 95-382 | Colorado | 8,000.00 | |
3. Restore: The North Woods v. Babbitt | 95-37 | New Hampshire | 5,400.00 | |
4. Biodiversity Legal Foundation v. Babbitt | 95-1815 | Colorado | 3,500.00 | |
5. Biodiversity Legal Foundation v. Babbitt | 95-816 | Colorado | 500.00 | |
6. The Bay Institute of San Francisco, et al. v. Babbitt | 94-0265 | California, East | 5,000.00 | |
7. National Audubon Society v. Babbitt, et al. | 94-0105 | California, South | 7,540.61 | |
8. Friends of the Wild Swan, Inc., Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Inc., et al. v. Babbitt | 94-0246 | District of Columbia | 4,500.00 | |
9. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance v. Morgenweck. | 94-717 | Colorado | 4,200.00 | |
10. Environmental Defense Center v. Babbitt. | 94-0743 | California, Central | 4,074.75 | |
11. Biodiversity Legal Foundation, et al. v. Babbitt | 94-1086 | Colorado | 1,408.19 | |
12. Biodiversity Legal Foundation v. Babbitt | 94-0920 | District of Columbia | 5,000.00 | |
13. Biodiversity Legal Foundation v. Babbitt | 94-0920 | District of Columbia | 3,815.00 | |
14. Greater Gila Biodiversity Project v. USFWS | 94-0288 | Arizona | 2,048.91 | |
15. Southwest Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. USFWS | 94-0696 | Arizona | 1,665.00 | |
16. Southwest Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. USFWS | 94-0739 | Arizona | 1,000.00 | |
17. Environmental Defense Center v. Babbitt | 94-0788 | California, Central | 3,815.00 | |
18. Oregon Natural Resources Council v. Babbitt | 94-666 | Oregon | 4,000.00 | |
19. Mountain Lion Fountain v. Babbitt | 94-1165 | California, East | 6,500.00 | |
20. Dr. Robin Silver, et al. v. Babbitt | 94-0337 | Arizona | 4,000.00 | |
21. Dr. Robin Silver, et al. v. Babbitt | 94-0337 | Arizona | 102,418.86 | |
22. Southwest Center for Biological Diversity v. Babbitt | 94-1034 | Arizona | 5,145.00 | |
23. The Biodiversity Legal Foundation v. Babbitt | 94-02441 | District of Columbia | 4,000.00 | |
24. Idaho Conservation League v. Babbitt | 94-0351 | Idaho | 5,000,00 | |
25. Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides v. Babbitt | 94-6339 | Oregon | 10,500.00 | |
26. Southwest Center for Biological Diversity v. Babbitt | 94-1946 | Arizona | 1,971.01 | |
27. Southwest Center for Biological Diversity v. Babbitt | 94-2036 | Arizona | 40,000.00 | |
28. Native Plant Society of Oregon v. U.S. DOI | 93-180 | Oregon | 13,046.19 | |
29. National Audubon Society et al. v. Babbitt et al.. | 93-1152 | District of Columbia | 22,500.00 | |
30. Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game v. National Marine Fisheries Service | 93-1603 | Oregon | 8,405.06 | |
31. Oregon Natural Resources Council v. Dept. of Commerce | 93-293 | Oregon | 16,200.00 | |
32. Clemmys Karmorata v. USFWS | 93-6135 | Oregon | 2,522.30 | |
33. Environmental Defense Center v. Bruce Babbitt | 93-1847 | California, Central | 4,700.00 | |
34. Environmental Defense Center v. Bruce Babbitt | 93-1848 | California, Central | 4,700.00 | |
35. Environmental Defense Center v. Babbitt | 93-3379 | California, Central | 4,300.00 | |
36. Desert Tortoise, et al. v. Lujan | 93-0114 | California, North | 69,000.00 | |
37. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance v. Bruce Babbitt | 93-2376 | Colorado | 8,500.00 | |
38. Greater Yellowstone Coalition, et al. v. F. Dale Robertson (Chief, USFWS) | 93-1495 | District of Columbia | 32,750.00 | |
39. Natural Resources Defense Council, et al. v. Bruce Babbitt, Sec. DOI | 93-0301 | California, North | 262,096.76 | |
40. Sierra Club, et al. v. Bruce Babbitt, et al. | 93-1717 | California, South | 11,368.76 | |
41. Greater Gila Biodiversity Project v. USFWS | 93-1913 | Arizona | 11,000.00 | |
42. Sierra Club, et al. v. David Garber, et al. | 93-069 | Montana | 55,000.00 | |
43. Bay Institute of San Francisco v. Lujan | 92-2132 | California, East | 60,000.00 | |
44. Pacific Rivers Council v. Thomas | 92-1322 | Oregon | 165,000.00 | |
45. Colorado Wildlife Federation v. Turner | 92-884 | Colorado | 31,351.90 | |
46. Colorado Wildlife Federation v. Turner | 92-884 | Colorado | 5,000.00 | |
47. Environmental Defense Center v. Lujan | 92-6082 | California, Central | 7,500.00 | |
48. Idaho Conservation League v. Manuel Lujan, et al. | 92-0260 | Idaho | 21,166.00 | |
49. Canadian Lynx, Greater Ecosystem Alliance v. Lujan | 21-1269 | Washington, West | 2,000.00 | |
50. Canadian Lynx, Greater Ecosystem Alliance v. Lujan | 92-1269 | Washington, West | 9,500.00 | |
51. Friends of Walker Creek Wetlands v. Dept. of the Interior | 92-1626 | Oregon | 12,000.00 | |
52. Idaho Conservation League, et al. v. Lujan | 92-0406 | Idaho | 8,000.00 | |
53. Fund for Animals v. Manuel Lujan, et al. | 92-800 | District of Columbia | 67,500.00 | |
54. National Audubon Society v. Lujan | 92-209 | California, South | 7,348.75 | |
55. Wendell Wood, et al. v. Manuel Lujan, et al. | 91-6496 | Oregon | 14,547.05 | |
56. Wendell Wood, et al. v. Manuel Lujan, et al. | 91-6496 | Oregon | 550.00 | |
57. California Native Plant Society v. Manuel Lujan, Jr. | 91-0038 | California, East | 16,678.25 | |
58. Earth Island Institute, et al. v. Manuel Lujan, Jr. | 91-6015 | Oregon | 32,338.70 | |
59. The Fund for Animals ein., et al. v. Turner | 91-2201 | District of Columbia | 36,000.00 | |
60. West Snowy Plover v. Lujan | 91-1421 | Washington, West | 7,710.92 | |
61. Edward Wilkinson Mudd Jr. v. William Reilly, Admin., EPA | 91-1392 | Alabama, North | 39,000.00 | |
62. Hawaiian Crow v. Manuel Lujan | 91-00191 | Hawaii | 195,000.00 | |
63. Sierra Club v. Lujan | 91-069 | Texas, West | 666,666.67 | |
64. Sierra Club v. Lujan | 91-069 | Texas, West | 666,666.67 | |
65. Sierra Club v. Lujan | 91-069 | Texas, West | 666,666.66 | |
66. Sierra Club v. Lujan | 91-069 | Texas, West | 1,550,000.00 | |
67. Marbled Murrelet, et al. v. Manuel Lujan | 91-522 | Washington, West | 43,519.49 | |
68. Marbled Murrelet, et al. v. Manuel Lujan | 91-522 | Washington, West | 17,589.98 | |
69. Dioxin/Organichlorine Center and Columbia River United v. Dana Rasmussen | 91-1442 | Washington, West | 61,500.00 | |
70. Colorado Envtl. Coalition v. J. Turner | 91-1765 | Colorado | 5,168.40 | |
71. Florida Key Deer, et al. v. Robert H. Morris | 90-10037 | Florida, South | 130,000.00 | |
72. Conservation Council for Hawaii, et al. v. Manuel Lujan and John F. Turner | 89-00953 | Hawaii | 44,635.25 | |
73. National Wildlife Federation, et al. v. Robert Mosbacher, Sec. of Commerce | 89-2089 | District of Columbia | 42,500.00 | |
74. Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund v. Manuel Lujan, Jr., Sec. of Interior, et al. | 89-1140 | District of Columbia | 9,000.00 | |
75. Sierra Club, et al. v. James A. Baker, et al | 89-3005 | District of Columbia | 18,583.72 | |
76. Resources Limited Inc., et al. v. F. Dale Robertson, et al. | 89-41 | Montana | 90,000.00 47,000.00 |
|
77. Environmental Defense Fund v. Lujan | 89-2034 | District of Columbia | 2,237.50 | |
78. Silver Rice Rat, et al. v. Manuel Lujan | 89-3409 | District of Columbia | 19,500.00 | |
79. Northern Spotted Owl, et al. v. Donald Hodel, et al. | 88-573 | Washington, West | 56,718.00 | |
80. World Wildlife Fund v. Donald P. Hodel, et al. | 88-573 | 56,000.00 | ||
81. Sierra Club and League for Coastal Protection v. John Marsh, et al. | 86-1942 | California, South | 44,774.16 | |
82. Greenpeace v. Baldrige | 86-0129 | Hawaii | 88,794.01 | |
83. Sierra Club, et al. v. Richard Lyng | 85-69 | Texas, East | 149,647.50 | |
84. Natural Resources Defense Council v. Donald Hodel (Kesterson) | 85-1214 | California, East | 518.000.00 | |
85. Natural Resources Defense Council v. Donald Hodel (Kesterson) | 85-1214 | California, East | 57.000.00 | |
86. Natl. Wildlife Foundation, et al. v. Endangered Species Committee, et al. | 79-1851 | District of Columbia | 20,000.00 | |
87. Defenders of Wildlife v. Thomas | Strychnine | Minnesota | 122,500.00 |
|
|
Sad to say but with every new fire, with each home destroyed, as tragic and needless as that is, the general public seems to be growing in its distaste for thse loonies and their disastrous policies.
Your hope is a lot closer to reality than we may think.
If this clymer was a conservative, I'm a leftist!
This clymer needs to be subpoenaed by Ben Lighthorse and Senator Super K from Arizona to find out how involved he and his enviral Nazis buddies were re the no roads policies.
Out of the loop Furnish did not expect to make policy for the new administration, but he did expect that his senior post would give him the right to express his views and be included in policy discussions. Instead, he was shut out.
In the Clinton administration, he played a key role in shaping the policy of banning road building and logging in almost 60 million acres of national forest land. He also was central to an initiative that would have required forest planners to consider environmental preservation above all other goals when deciding how national forests would be managed.
This Druid Clymer is the walking smoking gun re setting up our forests to become the tinder boxes they are now!
He and any of his Druid Organizations should be sued in Civil Court for damages due their agendas of no roads and no harvesting of trees.
Senator Jon Kyl has lambasted the Southwest Center for Biodiversity in his statement at Show Low last week. Here is something from his website:
http://www.senate.gov/~kyl/#statmnt
"Environmentally-sound strategies such as forest thinning and controlled burns clear away small, dry, and disease-prone trees and underbrush that serve as kindling for fires and prevent healthy growth. Arizonans can see the results of such proper forest-management techniques firsthand. The White Mountain Fort Apache Indian Reservation, Mount Trumbell, and other places in our state prove that properly-thinned forests are not only healthier and fire-resistant, but much more attractive. "Yet standing in the way of these efforts are radical environmentalists who file litigation and seek to otherwise obstruct forest treatment. They would rather the forests burn than to see sensible forest management. As of last month, there were 5,000 legal challenges pending against the U.S. Forest Service, which devotes nearly 40 percent of its resources to defending against lawsuits and complying with environmental regulations. This is time and money taken away from fighting fires."Along with other Western Senators, I am proposing legislation shortly to establish an ecological research institute in Arizona that will work with land managers to implement forest-restoration treatments throughout the state. As it happens, my request for $1 million in federal funding for a pilot program to treat Apache-Sitgreaves through forest thinning was granted shortly before this wildfire broke out. We will work to fund more pilot programs throughout the state, because as long as we leave our forests untreated, we will guarantee catastrophic damage."
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I suppose any admin has policies that irk some - and they leave, for reasons stated or otherwise.
One here said that the Govt. failed to pursue penalties. that's believable. Another complains about "fire roads." That's quite overly sensitive. There seems to be an ongoing debate about forest management and fires. As for the road issue, that's pathetic.
It's folks like you that make FR so great.
EV
Some of the best news I've heard lately. The Bush people are doing their job. Great.
I'm having a hard time remembering the articles about Bush Sr. people that left when the Clintonistas took power.
I know the media wasn't too worried when Hillary fired all of the US Attorneys.
Anything the a government does is paid for initially or eventually by taxpayers! Merkel and the other officials who quit said they left many disgruntled colleagues behind.
I raise my glass in praising their decision to leave. May they soon suffer the same as the people who have lived under their decisions while they were with environmental agencies
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