AMERICA'S FORESTS GET BUSHWHACKED

[paineinthearse]

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For Immediate Release
May 9, 2005

Contact: Karen Finney
202-863-8148

AMERICA'S FORESTS GET BUSHWHACKED

Washington, DC - The Bush Administration has decided to open up millions of acres of America's road less national forests to logging, drilling and mining. By overturning the road less rule, the Bush White House is attempting to pay back its supporters in the logging and mining industries that gave generously during the 2000 and 2004 elections. These industries have been richly rewarded for their contributions with appointments of former lobbyists and the opening of formerly protected lands to logging and mining.

Even today, the New York Times editorial page highlighted the many problems with Bush's new policy. "On Thursday, the administration repealed one of President Bill Clinton's proudest and most popular environmental initiatives, a rule that placed nearly 60 million acres, or roughly one-third, of the national forests off limits to new road building and development. The Clinton rule gave protection to some of the last truly wild places in America and the fish and wildlife that live there. By the Forest Service's own estimates, these road less areas shelter at least 200 rare species, which under the administration's less protective regime will now be more vulnerable to commercial development. The rollback also completes the administration's demolition job on the web of forest protections it inherited from Mr. Clinton." {New York Times, 5/9/05}

WHAT THEY GAVE, Part 1:
BUSH TOP RECIPIENT OF LOGGING INDUSTRY MONEY IN 2000
Bush Was Top Recipient for Forestry and Mining Donations in 2000. During his first presidential bid, Bush was the top recipient of donations from the mining and forestry industries. The mining industry contributed at least $204,196 to Bush, while the forestry and forest products industry donated at least $298,500 to Bush. {Center for Responsive Politics, www.crp.org}

Timber Companies Contributed Heavily to Bush in 2000. Public Campaign, a non-profit campaign finance watchdog, found that the timber industry contributed $3.4 million in hard and soft money to the Bush-Cheney 2000 and the Republican National Committee. The timber industry contributed $1 million to Bush's 2000 election campaign. {Paybacks: Policies, Patrons and Personnel; Public Campaign, http://www.publicampaign.org/; Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 8/21/03}

International Paper Contributed Over Half A Million Dollars To Republicans In 2000. International Paper, one of the largest paper services companies in the world, contributed $546,450 to the RNC, the NRCC, and the NRSC in the 2000 election cycle. International Paper also contributed $442,180 to Republicans in the 2002 election cycle. {Center For Responsive Politics, www.crp.org}

WHAT THEY GOT, Part 1:
FIRST TERM POLICIES REWARDED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS

FOX GUARDING THE HEN HOUSE: BUSH PUT INDUSTRY LOBBYIST IN CHARGE OF
FOREST SERVICE
Mark Rey Nominated to Head the Forest Service and Land Conservation Programs. In June 2001, Mark Rey, described as "a former top lobbyist for the timber industry" by Associated Press, was nominated by Bush to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment. Rey is responsible for managing the Forest Service and land conservation
programs. {White House website, www.whitehouse.gov/news/nominations/1041.html; Associated Press, 8/14/02; 6/22/01}

Mark Rey Fought for Logging Interests as Congressional Staffer. Prior to his confirmation as head of the Forest Service, Rey served as an advisor to Senator Larry Craig (R-ID), who opposed Clinton administration efforts to restrict logging on public lands. As a Congressional staffer, Rey also helped author the controversial "salvage rider" amendment, which allowed logging in old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest. {Associated Press, 8/14/02; National Journal, 2/23/02; Associated Press, 6/22/01; Los Angeles Times, 6/24/01}

Rey Was a Top Lobbyist for Forest Industry. Before working in Congress, Rey held several positions with forest industry groups, including a stint as a lobbyist and vice president of the American Forest and Paper Association. From 1995 to 2001, Rey served as a staff member with the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. From 1992 to 1994, Rey served as vice president for forest resources for the American Forest and Paper Association. He served as executive director for the American Forest Resource Alliance from 1989 to 1992. He served as vice president for public forestry programs for the National Forest Products Association from 1984 to 1989. From 1976 to 1984 he served in several positions for the American Paper Institute/National Forest Products Association, a consortium of national trade associations. {U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, www.usda.gov}

BUSH ATTACKED ROADLESS RULE AND PROMOTED INDUSTRY PLAN
Bush Attempted to Block Clinton Rule On Behalf of Timber Company. Once in office, Bush tried to postpone the enactment of Clinton's roadless initiative to designate one-third of national forests as off limits to development. The action was a response to timber giant Boise Cascade's request that a federal judge grant a preliminary injunction barring the roadless rule from taking effect. According to the New York Times, "the move also opened a window for possible negotiations between the Bush administration and the Western states, timber interests, off-road enthusiasts and others who have filed lawsuits aimed at overturning the Clinton rules, which would ban roadbuilding and logging across some 60 million acres of national forest." Members of the timber industry, as well as mining, oil and gas industries, were strongly opposed to Clinton's plan. {New York Times, 3/17/01}

Bush Administration Refused to Defend Roadless Rule Against Boise Cascade. "In an unusual move," the Bush administration decided not to defend Clinton's rule against the state of Idaho and Boise Cascade. This move left many to wonder if the Bush administration would work with the timber company in shaping new policy. {New York Times, 3/23/01, 3/28/01}

Bush Overturned Roadless Rule in Tongass National Forest. In December 2003, the Bush Administration overturned the roadless rule in the largest national forest in the U.S., the Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska, thereby removing prohibitions on logging and mining in the forest. More than 2.5 million comments were submitted on the roadless rule during the six month public comment process and 98 percent of the comments submitted supported keeping the rule intact. {Associated Press, 1/15/04; Seattle Post Intelligencer, 12/24/03; LA Times, 12/24/03}

Bush Proposed Logging National Forests. On August 22, 2002, Bush proposed a policy for our national forests which would make it easier for timber companies to log and remove trees and brush from 190 million acres of the most "fire-prone forests" across the country. Bush asked the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior and his Council on Environmental Quality to authorize thinning projects on an emergency basis, as well as to find ways of rushing through environmental assessments. According to the Associated Press, Bush "also asked Congress to pass legislation 'that will ensure that vital forest restoration projects are not tied up in courts.'" {Associated Press, 8/22/02}

Bush Proposal Prioritized Needs of Logging Industry Instead of Public.
A report by the American Lands Alliance found that Bush's Healthy Forests Initiative unravels decades of critical environmental regulations, including environmental review, endangered species protection, and public participation, while adopting policies to promote the logging of large, healthy trees. {American Lands Alliance, This Land is Your Land: The Bush Administration's Assault on America's National Forest Legacy, 8/04}

WHAT THEY GAVE, Part 2:
INDUSTRY DOUBLED CONTRIBUTIONS TO BUSH IN 2004 ELECTION
Bush Rewarded for Four Years of Policies Favoring Forestry and Mining. In his 2004 re-election bid, Bush was once again the top recipient of contributions from mining and forestry industries. The mining industry contributed $426,859, over twice as much as it had in 2000. The forestry and forest products industry also doubled its support for Bush contributing $629,962. {Center for Responsive Politics, www.crp.org}

WHAT THEY GOT, Part 2:
CONTRIBUTORS GET WHAT THEY PAID FOR IN SECOND TERM POLICIES
Bush Overturned Roadless Rule Entirely. The Bush administration rolled back the roadless rule which will likely lead to logging, mining, and oil and gas development in nearly 60 million acres of remote country that had been protected under the Clinton-era rule. Roadless areas make up about 30% of the country's national forests. {New York Times, 5/6/05; Los Angeles Times, 7/13/04; Associated Press, 7/12/04; Washington Post, 7/13/04}

Rule Overturn Gives More Power to Former Timber Lobbyist. Under the guise of giving the authority to state governors, the Forest Service, led by former timber industry lobbyist Mark Rey, will be able to allow logging and mining and build the roads necessary for those industries in the formerly "roadless" forests. Governors have 18 months to make recommendations for the use of the land in their states. If they choose not to take that opportunity the Forest Service takes over the decision making process. Gov. Bill Richardson (NM) said the rule change was part of "a wholesale assault by the administration to drill more oil or gas, to open up more roadless areas for timber" and weaken environmental regulations. {New York Times, 5/6/05}

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