5/09/2003

From: alra@governance.net
Subject: Healthy Forests Floor Vote Thursday, May 16th

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


Healthy Forests Floor Vote Thursday, May 16th.




URGENT ACTION  REQUIRED

Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HR-1904)

HR 1904 has passed the Resources Committee 

HR 1904 has now passed the Agriculture Committee


The Healthy Forest Restoration Act is an effort to modernize our laws so that we can better protect our water, air and wildlife habitat.  Catastrophic fires in recent years have been devastating to air, water and critical habitat and we must stop this trend.  If we're serious about protecting resources, we need to get serious about using science, technology and professional knowledge in managing our federal forestlands.  Please support the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.  It's a common sense approach to protecting our resources.

HR 1904 is now expected to be voted on the House Floor Thursday, May 16th.

Call your Congressman each day this next week.    

If your Congressman’s personal 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.

ALSO  SEND  A FAX.   IT  IS  URGENT!!

It is vital that YOU CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN NOW to urge him to support healthy forests.

If you don’t have your Congressman’s fax, just call the toll free number and ask for it.

Call your friends and neighbors.   You must make his phone and fax numbers ring off the hook.  Call once a day beginning  Monday  until Thursday night, May 16th.


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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