October 15, 2002 --
Last
week the House Resources Committee passed the Healthy Forests and Wildfire
Risk Reduction Act of 2002 (HR 5319) introduced by Chairman McInnis (R-CO)
and Representative Walden (R-OR). The legislation allows for expedited hazardous
fuels reduction projects, without suspension of NEPA or disregard to other
environmental protections. It expedites the USFS administrative appeals process
and judicial review processes. Also included is additional authority for USFS
stewardship contracting and extension of the authority to the Bureau of Land
Management. Reps. Abercrombie (D-HI), Mark Udall (D-CO) Dooley (D-CA) and Carson
(D-OK) voted in favor of the McInnis-Walden legislation. This bill is the result
of several weeks of negotiating between Chairman McInnis, Rep. Miller (D-CA),
and Rep DeFazio (D-OR). Miller and
DeFazio did not vote in favor of the legislation because of several remaining
issues. Members of the Resource Committee plan to continue working on this
legislation and bring it before the full House, most likely after the November
elections.
For more information visit here
Also
see SAF’s letter on hazardous fuels reduction at http://www.safnet.org/policy/statements.htm
(Source: SAF Policy Update 10/15/02)