4/29/2003

From: alra@governance.net
Subject: DeFazio Attacks Healthy Forest Restoration Act

Land Rights Network
American Land Rights Association
PO Box 400 – Battle Ground, WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 – Fax: 360-687-2973 – E-mail: alra@landrights.org
Web Address: http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE – Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202-210-2357 – Fax: 202-543-7126 – E-mail: landrightsnet@aol.com


DeFazio Attacks Healthy Forest Restoration Act


CONGRESSMAN  DEFAZIO  ATTACKS  THE  HEALTHY  FOREST  RESTORATION  ACT in the Portland Oregonian.

The Healthy Forest Restoration Act will be voted on in the House Resources Committee late Wednesday, April 30th.  

It is vital that YOU CALL NOW Congressman DeFazio to urge him to support healthy forests.

Call him at:  (202) 225-6416.  If his line is busy (and we hope it is) call him at the Capitol Switchboard at  (202) 225-3121 or the temporary FREE NUMBER (800) 648-3516.   Ask him to support the passage of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 in the committee markup.


Or Fax him as message at:  (202) 225-0032

Call your friends and neighbors to get them to call DeFazio.  Don’t let him prevent the passage of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act.  You must make his phone and fax numbers ring off the hook.  Call once an hour until Wednesday night.



Protect our nation’s Forests - Support the Healthy Forests Restoration Act!


	Congress is now addressing the forest health issue through The Healthy Forests Restoration Act.  The premise of the debate is simple and clear: Given the massive scale of the threat that catastrophic wildfire and disease and insect infestation pose to the health of pristine forest ecosystems, threatened and endangered species, air quality, water quality and the safety of thousands of communities, something needs to be done!  


	America’s forest ecosystems are being decimated at an alarming rate by large-scale catastrophic wildfires and massive outbreaks of disease, insect infestation and invasive species.  Currently 190 million acres of land are at unnatural risk to catastrophic wildfire.  Of that, over 70 million acres are at extreme risk to catastrophic wildfire in the immediate future.  The summers of 2000 and 2002 were the two largest and most-destructive fire seasons in the last 50 years. 


For 100 years land managers have aggressively moved to suppress wildland fire in all forms, including nature’s periodic small scale burnings that restore and rejuvenate forest ecosystems.  The unintended result of this policy is a decades-long build up forest fuel, woody biomass and dense underbrush that's as close as the next lightning strike or escaped camp fire from exploding into a large-scale wildfire. 


In 2002, hundreds of homes and other structures were destroyed, and thousands of people were evacuated.  23 firefighters lost their lives.  The American taxpayers spent in excess of $1.5 billion containing 2002’s record setting blazes.  Rural economies that rely on tourism suffered significant financial losses.


Congress is now addressing the forest health issue through The Healthy Forests Restoration Act.  The premise of the debate is simple and clear: Given the massive scale of the threat that catastrophic wildfire and disease and insect infestation pose to the health of pristine forest ecosystems, threatened and endangered species, air quality, water quality and the safety of thousands of communities, something needs to be done!  


Please forward this message widely.


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