COSTLY LAWSUITS PROVIDE KINDLING FOR FOREST BLAZES

The Arizona Republic ^ | June 25, 2002 | Rep. Jeff Flake(AZ)

[madfly]

Driving through evacuated Show Low last night, an illuminated sign at a vacant fast food restaurant reading "Everything's Peachy" was hard to miss. That phrase may have described the restaurant's new product line, but it is a far cry from the situation here in the White Mountains.

Having grown up in the area, I thought I would be prepared for the devastation as I toured the fire's perimeter. The destruction is much more complete than I thought possible. As of Monday, more than 300,000 acres have burned in "Rodeo-Chediski" fires alone, with the lightning season yet to come.

As serious as these fires have been, they only serve to warn of heightened fire devastation in the future.

While the fire still burns, it is not too early to take stock of how we got into this situation and consider what we must do to decrease the likelihood that these conditions will exist in the future. The current drought conditions are out of our hands, as they will be in the future. What is not out of our hands is the condition of our forests, and how conducive they will be to devastating fires when the next drought occurs.

Over the years, fire suppression coupled with a reduction in logging on the national forests and public lands have resulted in previously spacious forests now crammed with trees and dense underbrush. An acre of forest that used to hold only 50 trees now contains up to one hundred times as many. The increase in trees, combined with dry, hot weather and the drought, has made all of these trees and brush into a fuel load waiting to ignite. Due to the increased load, fires burn hotter and destroy more old-growth trees than if there had been smaller, more frequent controlled burns.

The Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) of Northern Arizona University is working to restore the forest and prevent crown-burning wildfires not indigenous to ponderosa pine by providing sound science to land managers for implementation.

Research by the ERI and Dr. Wally Covington shows that Southwestern ponderosa pine forests were open and parklike before Anglo-European settlement (approximately 1880).

Until the 1870s, natural light surface fires occurred every two to five years. Along with grass competition and regular drought, these fires helped to maintain an open and parklike landscape dominated by grasses, wildflowers and shrubs, with scattered groups of ponderosa pines.

After settlement, intense livestock grazing, fire suppression, logging practices and climatic events enabled dense pine regeneration and caused the previously open parklands to become denser. Consequently, fire behavior changed dramatically. These forests are increasingly vulnerable to unnatural stand-replacing crown fires.

Over the last 40 years the number, size and severity of fires has increased in the Southwest.

Forest thinning must occur to create a healthier forest that won't become a tightly knit pack of fuel for what otherwise could be a controllable fire. Prescribed burns can remove some of the fuel load, but it is necessary in some instances to cut and remove smaller trees mechanically.

It goes without saying that the funds generated from forest thinning will offset the funds needed to treat more of our forests.

The problem is, all you have to do is mention the words "commercial" and "forest" in the same breath and the local pseudo-environmentalist will file a lawsuit before you can finish your sentence.

The uncertainty caused by such lawsuits has decimated the logging industry in Arizona, and that has contributed heavily to the situation we find ourselves in today. It has been estimated that nearly 40 percent of our Forest Service's budget is swallowed up just fighting lawsuits filed by "environmentalists."

The bottom line is this: If we want to save what remains of our forests in Arizona, we've got to get a handle on the frivolous lawsuits that prevent us from doing so.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake represents Arizona's 1st Congressional District. He was born and raised in Snowflake.

[Carry_Okie]

I promise, I will get that attachment letter written and to you by Monday. Today, I get to lug 20 yards of broken concrete down a hill and set them in a wash (not looking forward to that job at all).

[nothingnew]

..the group supports forest thinning so long as it does not benefit commercial loggers and is done with solar-power chain saws.

I have to laugh at this so I won't cry...Don't ya wanna just slap the crap out of some of these people?

Reporting still live from Durango, CO, now home to the #1 fire in the country on Missionary Ridge.

FMCDH

[madfly]

Write Jeff Flake with info on the enviro whackos. He is on the Forest & Forest Health subcommittee. . . jeff.flake@mail.house.gov

Write Your Representative - Constituent Communication System

E-mail Congressman Jeff Flake
(Please include your full name, mailing address and phone number. All replies from this office are sent via the U.S. Postal Service. We can only reply if we have your full name and address.)

District Office Address:

1201 S. Alma School Road
Suite 2950
Mesa, AZ 85210

(480) 833-0092 - phone
(480) 833-6314 - fax

Washington, DC Office Address:

512 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0301

(202) 225-2635 - phone
(202) 226-4386 - fax

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Marnie Funk (Marnie.Funk@mail.house.gov) / Tracey Lynn Shifflett (Tracey.Shifflett@mail.house.gov)
(202) 226-9019

July 3, 2002

 

Forest Subcommittee Announces July 11 Oversight Hearing on Cost, Causes and Implications of 2002 Wildfire Season
Will include forthright analysis of pros/cons of aggressive forest management

Washington, D.C. - The Forest & Forest Health Subcommittee will hold an oversight hearing on Thursday, July 11 at 10 a.m. in Room 1334 Longworth HOB on “Wildfire on the National Forest: An update on the 2002 Wildland Fire Season.”

Witnesses from the Interior and Agriculture departments are expected to testify regarding the nearly $400 million spent year-to-date on fire suppression. Scientists from Colorado and Arizona will be invited to testify regarding the explosive nature of this year’s fires and the available options for forest management.

Statement from Chairman James V. Hansen:

“We’re less than halfway through the summer and already the Administration has spent nearly every firefighting dollar it has on the fires in Arizona and Colorado. Meanwhile, five large, new fires have broken out in just the last 24 hours in Colorado, California, Wyoming and Utah. We’re out of money. Homes are threatened and lives are in jeopardy in some part of virtually every western state. This crisis will only get worse between now and autumn.”

Statement from Forest & Forest Health Chairman Scott McInnis:

"For those who have doubted or downplayed the seriousness of the wildfire epidemic on our national forests, this summer has been a rude awakening. 2002 is well on its way to becoming among the most destructive wildfire
seasons in American history. And if this fire season has taught us anything, it is that our attempts to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire on the national forests are falling woefully short.

"My goals for the hearing are three-fold: find out what additional resources the government needs this year to protect the many western communities in the crosshairs of wildfire, begin the process of separating the junk-science from the real-science when it comes to managing our national forests, and press policymakers and scientist to find out what it's going to take to get out ahead of this crisis in the long-term."

###

[Free the USA]

bttt

[Grampa Dave]

This reply says it all: "However, one group, Forest Guardians, suggests thinning the forest using 'solar-powered' chain saws."

How about dropping Forest Guardians with their solar powered saws from a Halo Drop to fight these fires.

This is their arrogant way of saying these forests will never be thinned.

Tie them behind some big caterpillars with chains and use the Forest Guardians as dust control devices behind the cats as they thin out the forest. Be sure to drag them about 5 miles before starting the real work to break them in.

[MP5SD]

Its amazing that the enviro's can sue the FS and I can't sue them when one of their on duty employees burns my house down. I would like to see all the homeowners/ins companies sue the enviro's for their negligent and frivalous lawsuits against the Dept of Int and USFS.

[madfly]

Hansen is retiring. He is chairman and he's the one who went before Congress last year to decry the eco-nuts and their lawsuits.

Quick Listing of Committee Member Names

U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Resources
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-6201

107^th Congress

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Republicans (28) JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah 1st , Chairman DON YOUNG, Alaska At Large , Vice-Chairman W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN, Louisiana 3rd JIM SAXTON, New Jersey 3rd ELTON GALLEGLY, California 23rd JOHN J. DUNCAN, Jr., Tennessee 2nd JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado 5th WAYNE T. GILCHREST, Maryland 1st KEN CALVERT, California 43rd SCOTT McINNIS, Colorado 3rd RICHARD W. POMBO, California 11th BARBARA CUBIN, Wyoming At Large GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California 19th WALTER B. JONES, Jr., North Carolina 3rd MAC THORNBERRY, Texas 13th CHRIS CANNON, Utah 3rd JOHN E. PETERSON, Pennsylvania 5th BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado 4th JIM GIBBONS, Nevada 2nd MARK SOUDER, Indiana 4th GREG WALDEN, Oregon 2nd MICHAEL K. SIMPSON, Idaho 2nd THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado 6th J.D HAYWORTH, Arizona 6th C.L. (Butch) OTTER, Idaho 1st TOM OSBORNE, Nebraska 3rd JEFF FLAKE, Arizona 1st DENNIS R. REHBERG, Montana At Large

Democrats (24) NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia 3rd , Ranking Democrat GEORGE MILLER, California 7th EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts 7th DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan 9th PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon 4th ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American Samoa Delegate NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii 1st SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas 27th FRANK PALLONE, Jr., New Jersey 6th CALVIN M. DOOLEY, California 20th ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam Delegate ADAM SMITH, Washington 9th DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN, Virgin Islands Delegate RON KIND, Wisconsin 3rd JAY INSLEE, Washington 1st GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California 34th TOM UDALL, New Mexico3rd MARK UDALL, Colorado 2nd RUSH D. HOLT, New Jersey 12th JAMES P. MCGOVERN, Massachusetts 3rd ANIBAL ACEVEDO-VILA, Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner HILDA L. SOLIS, California 31st BRAD CARSON, Oklahoma 2nd BETTY MCCOLLUM, Minnesota 4th

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[Grampa Dave]

Cedar Dave has been posting about these Enviral Terrorists in New Mexico. As long as these Enviral Terrorists, the Forest Guardians are around with any power, they represent a clear and present danger to anyone around them.

[BOBTHENAILER]

begin the process of separating the junk-science from the real-science

These hearings could get very interesting. Thanks for the Ping.

[Wonder Warthog]

"It makes one want to invent a solar-powered chainsaw, just to spite them... ;0)"

Hey, no problemo--you just have to use "Clinton-think". To wit---ALL energy in petroleum and/or coal has its ultimate origin in solar energy----THEREFORE---ALL chainsaws are "solar-powered". Just truck on down to your local hardware store, pick one out, and "thin the forest" away!!! Stihl, McCulloch, Poulan, Homelite--all OK!!

[madfly]

This is from a post Last July by ATOMIC PUNK.

Environmentalists Organizations Exposed

Mr. Hansen has been championing this issue and has been attacked again and again by these groups. In January this year he announced he will retire. I hope these hearings bring him some results, after years of speaking out.

What is truly shocking is the amount of money these groups are raising and
spending, and they are beginning to hit the big-time contributions, millions of
dollars at a time, disappointingly, from such previously venerable entities as
the Pew Charitable Trust. This is how they can pay for millions of dollars in
slick brochures, calendars, videos, radio and television advertisements, all
designed to shock and stimulate individuals to reach into their pocketbooks. 

Like any other pitchmen hawking their wares, they use sensational pictures
and distortion of facts in order to grab attention, as some unscrupulous
marketers are prone to do. They take advantage of many hard-working
Americans who are too busy earning a living and paying taxes and raising
their families, who do not have the time to investigate the claims themselves.
These groups take advantage of people's natural goodwill and desire to
protect green spaces and clean water by asserting that their tax-deductible
$10, $20, $50, or $100 donated to them, for example, will keep those
blankety-blank, nasty Republicans or other Congresspersons from raping
and pillaging the environment. 

As it was for me as a young college student to be influenced by their
solicitation, so it remains today with many of us. Only there is so much more
media influence by those groups than in the 1960s. They have a very loud
and a very strident voice. 

When I hear the completely overblown rhetoric they put out about many of my
colleagues who are working hard, honestly motivated by wanting to do the
right thing by the environment and by finding a balanced approach, it can be
very disheartening. Some days it is tempting to ask why do we keep trying? 

Despite years of trying to reach out to these groups, to enter into a
constructive dialogue to come up with legislative solutions to vexing
environmental problems, all I have received is the hammer to the head. At
least to this point they have not shown an interest in doing what Isaiah
counseled in the Old Testament, ``Come now, let us reason together.'' I am
still waiting for the phrase to be uttered, ``Mr. Chairman, we would like to
work with you on that proposal.'' I have been here 21 years and still have not
heard it. Indeed, all we get is the fire hose approach of heated and hostile
rhetoric. 

[madfly]

How do we get Carry_Okie to these hearings????

[Maelstrom]

AND...the obligatory chant...in unison with ALL my Freeping buddies, "We Told you So."

[Maelstrom]

Are Eastern Forests Next?

No. Liberals use the wood.

[madfly]

We need a list of email addresses of all the republican's on this committee. I call for a mass mailing of Carry_Okie's latest essay to these guys before the hearing, on the 11th. Calling backhoe!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[rollin]

Of course, you are hopefully aware that there are many people in the oil patch who are beginning to question the theory you espouse about how oil and gas are created?

You might want to do a little research as many of us are now convinced that the theory about dinsauor's and plant growth is false.

[AuntB]

"...Don't ya wanna just slap the crap out of some of these people?"

I'd buy a front row ticket to watch that!

[Tijeras_Slim]

Tie them behind some big caterpillars with chains and use the Forest Guardians as dust control devices behind the cats as they thin out the forest. Be sure to drag them about 5 miles before starting the real work to break them in.

Save your rope. One of the tactics these fools use is to chain themselves to heavy equipment in the woods.