Update on status of battle to keep the state from massively logging in Jackson State Redwood Forest
I wanted to give you an update on the status of our battle to keep the state from massively logging in Jackson State Redwood Forest -- OUR publicly owned forest.
As most of you will recall, the Campaign to Restore Jackson State Forest won a lawsuit in 2003 that continued to prevent the planned massive logging of Jackson Forest. In 2004, Senator Wesley Chesbro introduced a bill to reform management of Jackson Forest. This bill passed both the California Senate and the Assembly, only to be vetoed by the governor in September.
The governor vetoed the reform bill even though you and other forest supporters sent 3,000 letters asking for his signature.
What's next? There appears to be no point in trying to pass another reform bill this year. The veto of the reform bill was a direct result of the unrelenting opposition of the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and its allies in the timber industry. They had the inside ear of the governor, and there are no signs yet that this will change in the coming year.
Until the Campaign intervened, Jackson Forest logging was a huge source of funding for programs benefiting the department and the timber industry. The department and the timber industry want to keep it that way.
Given this situation, we intend to use all legal avenues to prevent the resumption of logging, while working within the state to reduce the influence of the timber industry in the governor's office.
CDF is now rushing to get court-ordered revisions to its environmental documents completed and approved. If it succeeds, logging will start under a management plan that envisions applying variations of clearcutting to half of the forest. This would be an ecological and recreational disaster.
The next point when action is needed will be when the environmental documents are released for public review. This will not occur for several months. Our expert consultants will review and comment on the documents. We'll let you know when and how to comment, too.
After the review is complete, the Board of Forestry will determine whether to approve the environmental documents and the associated management plan. If, as can be expected, the Board does approve them, the Campaign will review them for legal problems. If the environmental documents do not meet the requirements of the law, which we expect will be the case, we will challenge them in court.
Please forward this message to your family and friends.
The Campaign has been the only effective representative of the public’s interest in Jackson Forest. We have stopped logging in our public forest for five years. We have forced the forestry department to follow the environmental laws. We have created widespread awareness of the state’s greed for profits and contempt for the public and the environment.
Please help us stop those who want to use our public redwood forest for profit. Show the government that we the people have the power and will to protect what is ours.
Sincerely yours,
Vince Taylor
Executive Director
Campaign to Restore Jackson State Redwood Forest
http://www.jacksonforest.com/
As most of you will recall, the Campaign to Restore Jackson State Forest won a lawsuit in 2003 that continued to prevent the planned massive logging of Jackson Forest. In 2004, Senator Wesley Chesbro introduced a bill to reform management of Jackson Forest. This bill passed both the California Senate and the Assembly, only to be vetoed by the governor in September.
The governor vetoed the reform bill even though you and other forest supporters sent 3,000 letters asking for his signature.
What's next? There appears to be no point in trying to pass another reform bill this year. The veto of the reform bill was a direct result of the unrelenting opposition of the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and its allies in the timber industry. They had the inside ear of the governor, and there are no signs yet that this will change in the coming year.
Until the Campaign intervened, Jackson Forest logging was a huge source of funding for programs benefiting the department and the timber industry. The department and the timber industry want to keep it that way.
Given this situation, we intend to use all legal avenues to prevent the resumption of logging, while working within the state to reduce the influence of the timber industry in the governor's office.
CDF is now rushing to get court-ordered revisions to its environmental documents completed and approved. If it succeeds, logging will start under a management plan that envisions applying variations of clearcutting to half of the forest. This would be an ecological and recreational disaster.
The next point when action is needed will be when the environmental documents are released for public review. This will not occur for several months. Our expert consultants will review and comment on the documents. We'll let you know when and how to comment, too.
After the review is complete, the Board of Forestry will determine whether to approve the environmental documents and the associated management plan. If, as can be expected, the Board does approve them, the Campaign will review them for legal problems. If the environmental documents do not meet the requirements of the law, which we expect will be the case, we will challenge them in court.
Please forward this message to your family and friends.
The Campaign has been the only effective representative of the public’s interest in Jackson Forest. We have stopped logging in our public forest for five years. We have forced the forestry department to follow the environmental laws. We have created widespread awareness of the state’s greed for profits and contempt for the public and the environment.
Please help us stop those who want to use our public redwood forest for profit. Show the government that we the people have the power and will to protect what is ours.
Sincerely yours,
Vince Taylor
Executive Director
Campaign to Restore Jackson State Redwood Forest
http://www.jacksonforest.com/
Starmail - 30. Dez, 14:38
