I saw this on another list, but thought ECOFEMers might find it worthwhile, dismaying as it is. [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ >From another list. Apologies if you have seen this before. Vivek From: Peter Rauch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Old Nests Don't Count... If this doesn't !boil! your blood, you're already dead..... Apologies to those who see this as a crossposting. Peter - - - - - - - From: Ned Daly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Clinton and Republican letters on salvage implementation X-Comment: Biodiversity and Ecosystems NEtwork (BENE) Email ListServer Distributed to TAP-RESOURCES, a free Internet Distribution List (subscription requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]) TAXPAYER ASSETS PROJECT - NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY ADVISORY (please distribute freely) TAP-RESOURCES August 3, 1995 The following two letters discuss implementation of the salvage provisions of H.R. 1944, the Rescissions Bill, now Public Law 104-19. The first letter is from six House and Senate Republicans who receive significant campaign financing from timber and other extractive industries. They are very clear in their message: start cutting and don't stop until we say so. The second letter is from the President to Secretaries and agency administrators who will be implementing the salvage provisions. President Clinton is not as clear in his message as the Republicans are. It sounds as though he will implement the salvage provisions while complying with existing environmental laws, but the administration cannot since the salvage program is specifically exempted from environmental laws, as the Republicans point out, due to the "notwithstanding any other provision of the law" language in subection (k)(1). So the President's statements that he "intend[s]...to the maximum extent allowed, follow our current environmental laws and programs" and, "complying with our existing legal responsibilities to protect the environment" ring a little hollow since the existing legal responsibilities to protect the environment are virtually nil. He could not say "complying with existing environmental laws" because that would go against the intent of the language. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES WASHINGTON, DC 20510 July 27, 1995 The Honorable Dan Glickman Secretary of Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture 14th Street and Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250 The Honorable Bruce Babbitt Secretary of the Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 18th and C Streets, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Secretary Glickman and Secretary Babbitt, As responsible committee chairmen and other interested Members of Congress who will oversee the Administration's compliance with the salvage timber program enacted by Congress in section 2001 of H.R. 1944, we are delighted the President has given his commitment to carry out this vital program with the full resources of his Administration, and we want to assist your departments in their efforts to fulfill the congressional policies expressed in this program. To that end, you can expect our active oversight of your implementation of the measure. The salvage legislation will require prompt and effective actions by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, in some cases within 45 days of enactment of the law. Because time is so critical, and because the need to restore timber supply to dependent communities is so urgent, we are writing this letter to assure that your departments embark from the outset on the path intended by Congress in enacting this legislation. Other letters may follow as we review implementation of various elements of the program. We are concerned at preliminary reports that the Office of Forestry and Economic Development in Portland, Oregon may be operating under some vital misunderstandings about this legislation, and we want to ensure that any such misunderstandings are corrected before we are unnecessarily in conflict with the administration. The interpretation of the Office of Forestry and Economic Development is, in several respects, at odds with the results of Administration- Congressional agreements and the terms of the legislation. 1. We want to make it clear that subsection (k) of the salvage legislation applies within the geographic area of National Forest units and BLM districts that were subject to Section 318 of the Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 1990, Pub.L. 101-121, and within that geographic area requires the release of all previously offered or awarded timber sales, including Section 318 sales as well as all sales offered or awarded in other years (such as Fiscal Years 1991-95) that are not subject to Section 318. The reference to Section 318 in subsection (k)(1) defines the geographic area that is subject to subsection (k). This interpretation is vital to the policies intended in Sections 2001. The legislation directs all sales referenced in subsection (k) to be released promptly to local mills to avoid further economic dislocation in rural timber-dependent communities. 2. We have been informed that the Office of Forestry and Economic Development has suggested that subsection (k)(2) bars the release of any timber sale unit that has previously been determined to be "occupied" by a marbled murrelet. This interpretation of the law (1) directly contradicts the agreement reached between Congress and the Administration; (2) imposes language which we explicitly rejected; and (3) is flatly illegal. Subsection (k)(2) bars the release of a timber sale unit only if a threatened or endangered bird species "is known to be nesting" within the unit. This approach is much narrower than all "occupied" units, for three reasons: a) We are thoroughly informed and understand that the expert marbled murrelet biologists define occupancy of an area as much broader than nesting. We have been informed that the 1994 Pacific Seabird group marbled murrelet protocol treats various subcanopy behaviors as evidence of occupancy even though they do not necessarily indicate nesting, and treats circling above the canopy as evidence of possible occupancy although murrelets also circle above non-nesting habitat. We discussed these matters during our negotiations with the Administration. At the conclusion of this discussion, we refused to agree that evidence of occupancy would qualify a timber sale unit as "known to be nesting" under subsection (k)(2). The legislative history is explicit on this point. b) To the contrary, we intended the requirement that a threatened or endangered bird be "known" to be nesting to require actual direct evidence of nesting, and does not allow an inferential conclusion from possible occupancy. Actual direct evidence would be observation of an active nest, fecal ring or eggshell fragments. c) We further intended the requirement that a threatened or endangered bird "is" known to be nesting to require information that nesting is currently occurring. Nesting in a prior year is not sufficient. Unless there is direct evidence of current nesting, the sale unit must be released. 3. In the event that subsection (k)(2) bars the release of a timber sale unit, subsection (k)(3) requires provision of an equal volume of timber, of like kind and value. The provision of alternative timber under subsection (k)(3), when required, is clearly a component of compliance with subsection (k)(1), and therefore does not require compliance with environmental laws or other federal statutes in light of the "notwithstanding any other provision of the law" language in subsection (k)(1). If your agencies were confused on this point, they should have raised it in our deliberations. Alternative volume under subsection(k)(3) must provided promptly so that all sales requiring alternative volume can, like all the other released sales, be operated to completion in fiscal years 1995 and 1996. 4. We understand that concern has been expressed about the effect of the National Marine Fisheries Service's recent decision to propose listing of the coho salmon in California and Oregon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The publication of such a proposal in the Federal Register may require "conferencing" of certain proposed agency actions under section (7)(a)(4) of the ESA. We are aware of the pendency of this listing. Nevertheless, we directed that the respective Secretaries shall act to award, release and permit to be completed in fiscal years 1995 and 1996 the sales described in subsection (k)(1) "[n]otwithstanding any other provision of law." Neither the conferencing requirements of the ESA, nor any other administrative provision of the ESA is a barrier to prompt and full compliance with subsection (k) (including subsection(k)(3)). Thus, while the agencies may conduct such conferences under the ESA as they determine appropriate, the agencies may not in any way delay the award, release or completion of the sales described in subsection (k). The same would be true for consultations under section 7(a) of ESA that may otherwise be required for current or newly-listed species (for example, if the coho is listed as threatened at some time in the future). We hope that this letter provides thorough and complete direction on the issues contemplated when we negotiated and drafted the FY 1995 funding rescissions bill. We expect each of your [sic] to provide us with written assurances that your agencies intend to implement Section 2001 in accordance with the direction provided in this letter. You, in turn, can expect diligent and vigilant oversight from us beginning with hearings in early August. Please provide us with this written assurance within 10 days after enactment of the Law. Very truly yours, (Signed) Frank Murkowski Don Young Larry Craig Charles Taylor Slade Gorton Pat Roberts $$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON August 1, 1995 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE THE ADMINISTRATOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SUBJECT: Implementing Timber-Related Provisions to Public Law 104-19 On July 27th, I signed the rescissions bill (Public Law 104-19), which provides much-needed supplemental funds for disaster relief and other programs. It also makes necessary cuts in spending, important to the overall balanced budget plan, while protecting key investments in education and training, the environment, and other priorities. While I am pleased that we were able to work with the Congress to produce this piece of legislation, I do not support every provision, most particularly the provision concerning timber salvage. In fact, I am concerned that the timber salvage provisions may even lead to litigation that could slow down our forest management program. Nonetheless, changes made prior to enactment of Public Law 104-19 preserve our ability to implement the current forest plans' standards and guidelines, and provides sufficient discretion for the Administration to protect other resources such as clean water and fisheries. With these changes, I intend to carry out the objectives of the relevant timber-related activities authorized by Public Law 104- 19. I am also firmly committed to doing so in ways that, to the maximum extent allowed, follow our current environmental laws and programs. Public Law 104-19 gives us the discretion to apply current environmental standards to the timber salvage program, and we will do so. With this in mind, I am directing each of you, and the heads of other appropriate agencies, to move forward expeditiously to implement these timber-related provisions in an environmentally sound manner, in accordance with my Pacific Northwest Forest Plan, other existing forest and land management policies and plans, and existing environmental laws, except those procedural actions expressly prohibited by Public Law 104-19. I am optimistic that our actions will be effective, in large part, due to the progress the agencies have already made to accelerate dramatically the process for complying with our existing legal responsibilities to protect the environment. To ensure this effective coordination, I am directing that you enter into a Memorandum of Agreement by August 7, 1995, to make explicit the new streamlining procedures, coordination, and consultation actions that I have previously directed you to develop and that you have implemented under existing environmental laws. I expect that you will continue to adhere to these procedures and actions as we fulfill the objectives of Public Law 104-19. William J. Clinton -------------------------------------------------------------- TAP-RESOURCES is an Internet Distribution List provided by the Taxpayer Assets Project (TAP). TAP was founded by Ralph Nader to monitor the management of government property, including information systems and data, government funded R&D, spectrum, allocation, public lands and mineral resources, and other government assets. TAP-RESOURCES reports on TAP activities relating to natural resources policy. 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