And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 10:29:31 -0600 To: "Wild Rockies Alerts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: Wild Rockies InfoNet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: MT CONS. ORGANIZATIONS APPLAUD FOREST PROTECTION BILL IN CONGRESS MONTANA CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS APPLAUD FOREST PROTECTION BILL IN U.S. CONGRESS - INVITE REPRESENTATIVE HILL TO COSPONSOR FOR RELEASE - APRIL 13, 1999 Montana conservation organizations are applauding 46 members of Congress for responding to the public's call to get the federal government out of the logging business by reintroducing the bipartisan supported National Forest Protection and Restoration Act (NFPRA). NFPRA would protect National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park lands from commercial logging while redirecting the current taxpayer subsidy towards worker retraining, ecological restoration, non-wood fiber research, community assistance, and taxpayer relief. Locally, the NFPRA is supported by the Native Forest Network, National Forest Protection Alliance, Ecology Center, Bitterroot-Mission Group of the Sierra Club, Montana Water Watch, Big Wild Advocates, Environmental Action Community and over 30 small businesses. "National forests provide us with clean water, clean air, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. These valuable resources are unnecessarily sacrificed 365 days a year by the current commercial logging program on America's national forests," said Jeanette Russell Missoula's Native Forest Network. Russell also invited Montana's Representative Rick Hill to cosponsor NFPRA. "Given that less than 4% of our nation's timber is supplied by national forests, Representative Hill needs to realize that attempting to tie community stability to the boom and bust cycles of the timber industry is out of touch with the 21st Century demands of Montana and the nation." "This piece of legislation will simple not cripple the economy of Montana as some might suggest," added Russell. "Over 80% of the timber harvested in our state comes from lands other than national forests. In addition, this legislation provides $600 million for restoration-related jobs and projects on national forests. Instead of working to cut down our national forests, people will be working to restore our national forests." University of Montana Economist Jeff Bookwalter also questioned the economic rationale behind the taxpayer subsidized logging program, "Many of the environmental and economic arguments for the continuation of the federal timber sale program have been disproved. It is time to reconsider National Forest policy." "Rather than using taxpayer subsidies for these questionable logging practices, they are better spent assisting communities to make the transition to more sustainable economic activities," added Bookwalter. The idea of protecting American's national forest heritage is supported by people from all walks of life, "I've spent a lot of time trapping and hunting out in these woods," said Floyd Wood, a retired Bitterroot logger who began logging in 1948. "The Forest Service is double dealing and isn't looking out for anything but the cut. They are doing things that look good on the books to get people promoted without doing what's best for the forests." ___________________________________________ FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette Russell, Native Forest Network, Missoula, MT 406-542-7343 Jeff Bookwalter, Economics Department, U of Montana, 406-728-2326 Floyd Wood, Retired Logger, Bitterroot Valley, MT, 406-961-3423 Jeanette Russell, Network Coordinator National Forest Protection Alliance POB, 8264, Missoula,MT 59807 (406) 542-7565, fax (406) 542-7347 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ List-Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> News Submissions or Problems: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This list is a public service provided by WIN: http://www.wildrockies.org &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
