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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... 1999
Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| FEBRUARY
11, 1999 2:13 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Sierra Club Sean Cosgrove, 202-675-2382 |
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| Sierra Club Calls On Clinton And Gore To Permanently Protect America's Forest Heritage | ||||
| WASHINGTON
- February 11 - Today the Sierra Club called the United States Forest Service's
new temporary moratorium on road building in National Forests a step in the right
direction but warned that the new plan is full of political loopholes that will
leave tens of millions of acres of America's last remaining wild forests open to
logging, road building and mining.
"If we are going to save the last wild, unspoiled places in our nation, this moratorium should be made permanent and applied to all of our National Forests, without exceptions," explained Sierra Club's Forest Policy Specialist, Sean Cosgrove. Wild forest roadless areas provide a source of clean drinking water for many communities, unparalleled recreational opportunities, and valuable habitat for wildlife. The Forest Service's policy places a temporary moratorium on road building in roadless areas of 5,000 acres or more, in addition to protecting many other smaller roadless areas that have been identified by the Forest Service. But the plan specifically exempts many critically important National Forests, such as the Tongass forest in Alaska and the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. In addition, the policy allows logging and other destructive activities to continue during the moratorium. "President Clinton and Vice-President Gore have an historic opportunity to protect and preserve the dwindling forest wilderness areas of the United States as a legacy for future generations," said Sean Cosgrove. "The real test will come when the Administration completes the policy. If these precious roadless areas are not permanently protected then the Administration will have sent the signal that we can expect business as usual in the development of our public lands and the continued loss of our heritage." Citizens across America have clearly expressed to the Clinton administration their deep concern for these forests. The Forest Service has previously received tens of thousands of public comments supporting the permanent protection of all roadless areas in our National Forests. "It is time for the Clinton Administration to give the American people what they want -- a national policy that would protect America's wild forest heritage forever," concluded Cosgrove. ### |
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