Bill Passes House That Endangers Public’s Input on Public Land Management!

On May 17th, the House passed HR 4200, a bill introduced by Greg Walden (R-OR) and co-sponsored by Montana Representative Dennis Rehberg. As recorded by congressional vote-tracking site, www.govtrack.us, the purpose of HR 4200 is “To improve the ability of the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to promptly implement recovery treatments in response to catastrophic events affecting Federal lands under their jurisdiction, including the removal of dead and damaged trees and the implementation of reforestation treatments, to support the recovery of non-Federal lands damaged by catastrophic events, to revitalize Forest Service experimental forests, and for other purposes.”

However, the Wilderness Society, which has analyzed and closely followed HR 4200, reports that this legislation would cause serious harm to our country’s national forests, because it ignores ecological research and waives the National Environmental Policy Act, leaving roadless areas, old growth forests, and other special areas unprotected. HR 4200 also excludes the public from voicing input on decisions regarding the management of public lands.

Please contact Rep. Dennis Rehberg and ask him to explain his support of HR 4200.

HR 4200 now moves on to the Senate for debate. Please contact Senators Max Baucus and Conrad Burns and ask them to vote against HR 4200.

For more information on this bill, visit the Wilderness Society at: www.wilderness.org