Bush administration takes aim at wild forests

Your online action is urgently needed to save some of America's last wild forests from Bush administration plans for clearcutting and drilling.

Please go to
http://www.savebiogems.org/tongass/takeaction.asp
right away and send a message telling the Forest Service to keep untouched wildlands in our national forests closed to roadbuilding and destruction.

Four years ago, we helped persuade President Clinton to enact the Roadless Area Conservation Rule that protects 58 million wild acres in our national forests that do not yet have roads cut through them.

From Alaska's Tongass rainforest to the Appalachian Trail, from the Rocky Mountains to the Sierra Nevada, this historic measure put some of America's greatest sanctuaries for wildlife and for people off limits to road building, logging and drilling so that their timeless beauty would remain untouched forever.

The roadless rule was the most popular conservation measure in history. Americans flooded the Forest Service with more than 1.5 million messages of support.

But today, the Bush administration is preparing to override the will of the American people. It has announced plans to eliminate the roadless rule and strip some of America's last wild forests of their special status and protection.

The administration's agenda is no secret. It is lining up massive timber and energy sales that will send an armada of bulldozers and chainsaws, as well as oil and gas rigs, into our last untrammeled forests.

We must not surrender our forests without a fight. We need millions of Americans to speak out once again in defense of our wild forests.

The Bush administration is taking public comments until September 14th on its disastrous plan to reopen our wild forests to logging. The Forest Service needs to hear from people like you, people who know that nature is a fragile gift we hold in trust for future generations.

Please go to
http://www.savebiogems.org/tongass/takeaction.asp
right away and send a message telling the Forest Service to uphold the roadless rule and defend our wild forests. Then forward this message to as many of your friends and family as possible and tell them to speak out, too.

For the sake of our forests, please make your voice heard today.

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

Featured Petition: Protect Our Remaining Wild Forests

http://www.care2.com/go/z/16534

In 2001, the Bush administration promised to uphold the Roadless Area Conservation Rule to protect our last wild forests. But, guess what? Bush and his administration have just reneged on this promise.

Unless we act quickly, 58.5 million acres of U.S. nationalforests will be at risk from destructive road-building, logging and drilling.

Though the Administration and the Forest Service attemptedto portray the new rule change as a modification of the Roadless Rule, under this proposal not a single acre of roadless areas in the National Forests will be protected nationally and thus will not be safe from the timber, oil and gas industries.

Your voice is needed now - please sign this petition to submit your public comment to the Forest Service. Help send a clear and powerful message that we will not tolerate the administration giving our national forests away:

http://www.care2.com/go/z/16534

Featured Action: Plant Trees Online to Help Areas Destroyed by Wildfire

http://www.care2.com/go/z/16532

You have probably seen pictures of the devastating wildfires that the western United States has experienced in recent years. Did you know that more than 5.6 million acres of forest have burned already this year? You can help restore these damaged forests lands by planting trees - online - through American Forests' Wildfire ReLeaf program.

Why do we need to plant trees? Hundreds of thousands of acres scorched by wildland fires need trees to stabilize and regenerate fragile forest ecosystems. Some forest ecosystems have burned so hot that trees will not grow back on their own. Areas prone to erosion - especially along streams and rivers - need trees to help hold soil in place. Replanting native species before invasive species have a chance to take over ensures that those forest ecosystems return to their pre-fire state.

Trees also play crucial roles in filtering our water, cleaning our air, and slowing global climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. When we help plant trees to regenerate our forests, we help rebuild the forest homes for our wildlife, and ensure healthy forests for generations to enjoy.

Learn how you can plant trees online today!

http://www.care2.com/go/z/16532

To: All Activists
From: American Lands Alliance
Date: August 19, 2004

Now or Never for National Forests!!!
http://tinyurl.com/56uql

Weeks of Action - Mid September - October to Defend Our Endangered National Forests from the Bush Administration

This is it. In the next few months the fate of millions of acres of the National Forests may be decided. We are witnessing the worst environmental Presidency ever, most recently eliminating the roadless rule, while opening the door to private control of public lands, and approving the largest logging project in modern history. This will be our last opportunity before November to organize a critical mass that can send a clear message to decision-makers that our endangered national forests are not for sale.

Join forest activists around the nation as we send our strongest message ever to the Bush Administration. During the weeks of action, we will let the Bush Administration and other decision-makers know that the public wants to see our National Forests preserved and protected for future generations.

CALANDER OF EVENTS

September 14 NATIONAL: End of Roadless Rule Comment Period Actions: Events are being organized in DC and around the country on or just before the Roadless Rule comment deadline to call attention to Bush Administration's plan to log our remaining roadless lands and to deliver public comments now being collected. Groups are encouraged to plan a press event or rally to demonstrate broad public support for roadless area protection, calling attention to your states' contribution to the goal of 1 million comments.

To get involved contact Seth Horstmeyer, shorstmeyer@net.org, 202-887-8800.

September 24 PORTLAND, OR: Concert for the forests. Remember that unforgettable concert in 1995 around the NW Forest Plan? Well, hold on, because it's happening again. For more information contact Jasmine Minbashian, jasmine@nwoldgrowth.org, (360) 319-3111

October 4 SOUTHERN OREGON: Bring it on: The biggest protest in Oregon. If there were anytime for forest activist to gather in mass and make one last stand before November, this is it. Join us in one of the biggest forest protest in the history of Oregon. For more information contact Jeanette Russell, nfpa@forestadvocate.org, (406)-542-7565

October 4 NATIONAL: National Call in Day. Details to follow.

October 24 VIRGINIA: Join community activists working to preserve the beauty of Southern Appalachia and protect their families from logging-induced landslides. Activities will range from grassroots protests, to the Forest Rescue Station and other colorful demonstrations by Greenpeace, and even a major public rally and benefit concert with the Blue Highways bluegrass band to oppose logging on High Knob, where USFS approved logging has contributed to massive flooding and 27 landslides which swept away homes and killed a man. For more information contact Andrew George, Andrew@forestadvocate.org, (919)-933-3073

An up to date list of events will be posted at http://www.endangeredforests.org .
A Now or Never for National Forests organizing toolkit will be sent out in early September.

ARE YOU IN? We invite activists everywhere to consider taking action during this time to alert the public to the danger our forests face. Activists in every region holding town hall meetings, protests, presentations, forest tours, issuing reports and news releases, criticizing the Bush Administration's plans to pillage our forests can create a strong drumbeat for change. Please join in this effort by participating in these events, or by planning one of your own.

SEE YOU IN THE WOODS: Remember, the best arguments against the Bush Administration's logging plans are the timber sales themselves. During Now and Never for National Forests - Weeks of Action to Defend our Endangered National Forests , one of the strongest actions you can take is bringing citizens and media out into the very threatened forests the Bush Administration is targeting. Seeing is Believing!

For more information please contact: Andrew George, National Forest Protection Alliance, 919/933-3973, andrew@forestadvocate.org , Anne Martin, American Lands Alliance, 509/624-5657, annem@americanlands.org, or Steve Holmer, Unified Forest Defense Campaign, 202/429-2647, steve_holmer@tws.org

American Lands Alliance http://americanlands.org

Search /RENEGADE/ for articles that mention Forest Action -
http://fornits.com/renegade/peaars.cgi?keywords=FOREST&increment=weeks&many=26
[only articles for the last six months will be indexed]

Search /RENEGADE/ for articles that mention environment -
http://fornits.com/renegade/peaars.cgi?keywords=ENVIRONMENT&increment=weeks&many=26
[only articles for the last six months will be indexed]

/RENEGADE/ Search - GO TO: http://fornits.com/renegade/peaars.cgi? and just type in your topic. For differing results you may uncheck "article" and search on just "subject," use "any word" or "phrase," etc. /RENEGADE/ also has "time-frame" in the search, so you can tailor your results that way, too.


Peace! *STRIDER*

'Civil Contingencies Bill' in House of Lords

Please pass this message far and wide ---particularly to anyone you know in the UK

RED ALERT - Danger to Democracy:
The Civil Contingencies Bill

"Are we opening up our system to the equivalent of what happened in Germany in 1933 where it became possible for an extreme party to legitimately hijack a democracy and turn it into something totalitarian?" Lord Lucas.

This horrific bill was covertly & quickly passed by the government, this autumn while everyone's attention was on Football/Wimbledon & other sporting/celebrity events. It is the most severe, far-reaching, subversive piece of attempted government (corporate/bilderburger controlled) legislation to strip away democratic rights and freedoms in the UK. You also need to ask why the corporate news media didn't cover it. Shy? This bill has now been passed - that cannot be changed.

However, as it now goes to the House of Lords, if we register strong disapproval (phone calls are all that is necessary.) it may be possible to "amend" it. If opposition is strong enough, and the winer recess arrives without complete agreement, they have to start the whole process again.

Everyone in the UK has just been sent a booklet called "Preparing for Emergencies", with fear based pages about "helping to prevent a terrorist attack." PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SENT THIS OUT FOR ONE REASON ONLY. To get the mindless majority into fear so they back this Bill if it reaches public awareness, and therefore creates a massive outcry. Lord Lucas who is reasonably free-thinking and free-speaking is not exaggerating in what he says above. Be aware that UK debt/borrowing has now reached 1 trillion; the Government borrows that money from private individuals who are hidden behind large corporations - so please wake up to the fact that it is their self-serving corporate agendas that largely control UK government policy - whatever political party. e.g. Two simple examples: Most awake individuals are heralding the success of getting the Pharmaceutical/Biotech multi nationals to pull GM crops from Uk production/planned cross pollination; but wake up a bit more - do you really think that with their combined power they will give up,. when they have the potential financial gain, through (assumed) technology, to control world food supply. This Bill, in current form, sets next year's agenda for their GM 'trials' designed to infect non-patented species and thus make us dependent.

What about the governments continued use of your taxpayers money to ensure fluorosilicates ( a class 1 poison) are definitely put in all UK water supplies? This despite most European countries banning its use, and more people waking up to the real reason for putting it in all water. This is enforced medication, which is illegal, but will be unstoppable if this legislation gets through. The polarities are really coming up now as we move towards 2012, and while we are doing our part in anchoring more light upon the planet, we also have to speak up for truth and justice. Those in fear still continue to put their consenting heads in the sand. This won't make it go away, when a few simple phone calls might. Please make those calls before Sept 15th. - Jeremy.

Namaste's editorial - Elizabeth Gray.

All well meaning people need to take action against the Civil Contingencies Bill now before the House of Lords. This extremely dangerous bill would give the Government the legal power to put an end to democratic institutions and civil liberties in the UK. Believe it or not, its true. NO exaggeration.

Lord Lucas speaking in the House of Lords, during the July 5th reading, came to the point, as quoted above. He continued " They (the New Labour Government) appear to want a role of issuing dictates." He called for amendments to the Bill which would safeguard our rights. "or are we signing our death warrant as a democracy?"

This Bill, enables the Government to declare a State of Emergency on practically any grounds - insignificant events (e.g. "damage to property"); "threatened" insignificant events (e.g. threatened disruption of a supply of money), even a "situation" would do, and situation occurring outside the United Kingdom would also do.

In other words, anything goes. Lord Kimball referred to (July 5th second reading), "a mysterious clause about using emergency powers to prevent the destruction of plant and animal life. That is a threat to rural activities and part of a very draconian measure." (could this clause have anything to do with "green gloves" and GM crops?).....

If loss of democracy and civil liberties is of little concern to a particular reader, then consider the clause in the Bill that provides for the confiscation of property, "with or without compensation."

This horrific bill went through the House of Commons with paltry discussion, little opposition, and silence from the irresponsible corporate news media. And the News Media remains silent as it proceeds through the House of Lords. This must not continue.

This Bill should be rejected outright.

Amendments are a possibility while it is processing through the House of Lords.

What kind of amendments should be proposed?

1. Justifications for declaring an Emergency. Only an actual disaster should be grounds for declaring an Emergency. And "disaster" means a real disaster, and one that occurs within the UK.

2. Powers granted. - No suspension of democracy. No suspension of Parliament. No suspension of Civil Liberties.

One may well question why any additional powers at all would be granted to the Govt. We already have Acts of Parliament that were quite sufficient for WWII and the Northern Ireland troubles. Touch them up a little if necessary, but no dictatorships here in Great Britain!

Make some telephone calls. We MUST contact members of the House of Lords, and members of the news Media. HOUSE OF LORDS - Parliament has gone into recess until September 7th, but you can and should call and leave messages now on - 0207 2195353. You can leave up to 3 messages with your phone call, one for each of 3 different Peers and/or MPs. You will get 2 sentences per message, plus your name and telephone number. So have your 2 sentences ready. Some Peers/MPs may indeed return your call.

NB - You can call and leave a message for any Peer or MP 24 hours a day, every day of the year at 02072195353.

In addition please write a short letter. Send it to Lord or Baroness_____, House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW. You need to send letters and messages now, and from 7th September when Parliament returns.

News Media - Nick Cohen, columnist at the Observer; 0207 2782332; Michael White Political editor of the Guardian 0207 2782332, Daily Mail - very important to get to this newspaper - political editor David Huges, Political journalists Simon Heffer, Geoffrey Lean and Graeme Wilson, 0207 9386000; Daily Mirror editor Oonagh Blackman 0207 2933000; Sun - political editor Trevor Kavanagh 0207 7824100, email addy trevor.kavanagh@the-sun.co.uk.


For further information see:
http://www.statewatch.org

xxx
Ellie


Informant: Bea Bernhausen

November/December 2004

Next issue: due date October 10

The Collapse of the US Empire and How to Survive and Thrive.

Imagine what would happen if this bubble/terrarium called the US economy begins to burst at the edges... not necessarily in a doomesday scenario but in more practical methods. What would we do? A crash course in sustainable living might be on par. Learnig how our local FEMA would respond. Learning what our city officials are prepared for, i.e., banks closing, supermarket shelves are empty, etc.

It may even feel like the Y2K days. That time could have been a time to learn to prepare but overall it did nothing. And as Matthew Simmons, a major consultant for energy corporations via the World Bank and the IMF said in the film “The End of Suburbia,” the black out of Toronto taught us nothing. It could have but it didn’t. Also, we will be featuring the new book by Richard Heinberg called Power Down: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World. What jobs/livelihoods would we start doing? Is the local economy thriving; how would you run your computer? What can we start doing now to prepare for such an inevitability? Even if nothing happened, wouldn’t it still be cool to live friendly on the earth and learn sustainable ways that have been existent for thousands of years before the age of modernity? Must we always have a crisis before we act?

Send in your rants, essays, poems, reviews, solutions, neighborhood survival strategies, etc.
Due October 10th

bob banner
544-9663
hopedance@aol.com

Forward this to your survivalist friends in Montana!

http://www.ecosystem.org/action/index.html?MessageTemplateID=1
http://www.ecosystem.org/act/103.html


Informant: Earth First! Media

#107 WILD NORTHWEST, August 2, 2004
A Message from Northwest Ecosystem Alliance

Keeping the Northwest Wild

Stop a Massive Resort in the Heart of British Columbia's Grizzly Bear Wildlands

Just say "no" to Jumbo proposed Glacier Resort
http://www.ecosystem.org/act/107.html

For 13 years the heart of BC grizzly bear habitat in the Kootenay region of southeast B.C. has been threatened by a proposed new four season resort development, called the Jumbo Glacier Resort. And for 13 years thousands of local residents and public officials, scientists, First Nations, and local heli-ski operators have protected essential grizzly bear habitat by staving off this massive boondoggle. But the developers haven't let up and the proposal still stands. At the close of the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) public comment period, thousands of Canadians opposed Jumbo. On August 3, the EAO submits their review of public comment and technical issues to BC Ministers, who will make a decision on the proposal by September 17, 2004.

Your voice is needed now to add to the burden of weight against this loony proposal. British Columbia counts on American tourists to spend their dollars on recreation in BC, and American opinions make a difference. Let the BC government know that you strongly oppose and will not patronize this130,000 acre required by this resort-- of main grizzly bear habitat and travel corridor adjoining the Purcell Wilderness and Banff National Park. Jumbo Creek Valley has superb wilderness and wildlife qualities that will be lost forever if this resort is built.

Write the BC government now to put this proposal where the overwhelming majority of the locals want it: in the scrap heap of bad ideas.

Send your letter of opposition straight to Premier Campbell and Ministers now though an easy fax system. Go to:
http://www.jumbowild.com/takeaction .

For more information, go to
http://www.jumbowild.com/Downloads/4G&M_9Mar04.pdf or
http://www.wildcanada.net .

Please let us know that you took action. And thank you for lending your voice to protect the grizzly bear!

Joe Scott, International Conservation Director (360) 671-9950 x 11
Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
1208 Bay #201
Bellingham WA 98225
(360) 671-8429 fax
jscott@ecosystem.org
http://www.ecosystem.org


"As life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time, at peril of being judged not to have lived." Oliver Wendell Holmes


Informant: Earth First! Media

Please forward widely!

NY ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545

GET UPDATES ON THE LAWSUIT + MORE AT OUR MEETING TONIGHT
Wednesday, August 18 at 6:30PM
Washington Square Methodist Church
135 W. 4th St., between 6th Ave. and Washington Square Park


Rallying in Central Park is a right, not a privilege! United for Peace and Justice filed a lawsuit today in New York State Supreme Court over New York City's denial of the use of Central Park for a rally on August 29, after our legal, permitted march past Madison Square Garden. We are seeking a court order to allow the rally to proceed.

The lawsuit ­ UFPJ vs. New York City Mayor Bloomberg, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and the City of New York ­ asserts that Central Park has traditionally served as a forum for free expression, and that by denying us its use, New York City is violating our Constitutional rights to free assembly. To learn more about the lawsuit and get updates on other aspects of the organizing for August 29, please come to our final citywide mobilizing meeting at 6:30PM tonight, August 18, at Washington Square Methodist Church, 135 West 4th Street.

The filing of this lawsuit means that we probably will not know the final destination for our march until the very last minute. (Our assembly time and location remain unchanged: Gather at 10:00AM at Seventh Avenue and 14th Street, for a march beginning at noon.)

We’ve faced this situation before: It was just days before our massive February 15, 2003 antiwar protest that we were able to announce the details for our event. Then, too, Mayor Bloomberg hoped that the uncertainty would keep people away, but he failed miserably: Hundreds of thousands of you showed up for one of the largest protests in New York City’s history.

The best way for us to counter the City’s efforts to stifle our protest is to do everything we can in these next ten days to ensure the largest, broadest possible turnout on August 29, when we will march past the site of the Republican Convention to call for an end to the divisive and destructive policies of the Bush Administration.

Make sure all your family members, friends, and coworkers know that our legal, permitted march is going forward, no matter what happens in court.

Make sure they know that ­ whatever the tabloids and the TV news might say ­ we are committed to a peaceful protest, one that kids, seniors, immigrants, and people with disabilities can attend, and that we will march in a spirit of nonviolence.

Make sure they tell their friends about the protest, and that they join us at 10:00AM on Sunday, August at Seventh Avenue and 14th Street, to send a message so loud it cannot be ignored: We’re sick of the lies, sick of the greed, sickened by the war and the hate, and we want a change.

In solidarity,
United for Peace and Justice


AUGUST 29, THE WORLD SAYS NO TO THE BUSH AGENDA!
Massive Protest at the Republican National Convention, New York City
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/rnc
* Assemble at 10:00AM, Seventh Avenue @ 14th Street
* March steps off at noon


Informant: Martin Greenhut

I just signed a petition telling Bush to clean it up. It's kind of funny that his clean air proposal is title "Clear Skies", yet does little to reduce pollution but helps his corporate polluting friends.

I'm sure you're not surprised that Bush has the worst environmental record in our lifetime, threatening our health, cutting our trees, dirtying our water, and polluting the truth. I know I can't take another 4 years of Bush - and neither can our environment.

Join me. Sign the petition. And then tell YOUR friends!
http://www.lcv.org/petitions/petition.cfm?action=87&petitionID=4

You can also view your card here
http://www.lcv.org/Team/TeamList.cfm?c=21

Click here to send your own postcard!
http://www.lcv.org/team/tell.cfm?action=86


Informant: Mary Riley