🚀 go-pugleaf

To: All Forest Activists
From: Jim Jontz and Steve Holmer
Sunday, May 5, 1996
 
 
CALL THE WHITE HOUSE TO URGE REPEAL OF THE RIDER
AND A HALT TO THE TOBE WEST SALE
 
An excellent "60 Minutes" segment earlier this evening reports that
the Rescissions Act Timber Rider has reopened the "timber wars"
over the clearcutting of our last Ancient Forests.
 
The Ed Bradley piece included interviews with Scott Stouder, a
former logger who was in the industry for 25 years but now
supports protecting old growth, and footage of the protest at the
Tobe West sale near Corvallis, OR.
 
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A flood of phone calls to the White House noting the "60 Minutes"
coverage and urging the President to seek repeal of the rider is
critical.
 
The White House Public Comment line is: (202)456-1111.
 
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It is important also to request the President to stop the Tobe West
sale because it is being cut RIGHT NOW.  Monday morning, in just
a few hours, forest defenders will converge on the Tobe West sale
and some will be prepared for arrest as they cross into the federal
closure area.
 
Because of the closure, we do not know how much of the sale has
been cut. I spoke to Tom Gilg earlier today and he said it is
believed that cutting has been heavy in two of the units. 
 
The circumstances around this sale are alarming.  It is anticipated
that marbled murrelets will be returning the area any day.  A crew
was supposed to begin surveying for the murrelets last Wednesday,
but logging was accelerated by the company (Hull-Oaks) cutting the
sale and they moved into some of the most sensitive areas because
of their fear that murrelets would be found.
 
In Washington D.C., President Clinton and Secretary Babbitt say
authority exists to prevent abuses.  On the ground, the local BLM
officials say "we're powerless to do anything."   Why can't the
survey be done first! 
 
WAFC wrote the Administration asking that the sale be cancelled
but we have heard no response. The Tobe West sale does not
comply with the Northwest Forest Plan and it is obvious that
murrelets are at risk.
 
There are a lot of terrible sales going on, but we have the benefit of
national television exposure on Tobe West.  We simply cannot let
the White House get away with sitting on their hands while these
sales devastate our Ancient Forests.  Fax Katie McGinty at the
President's CEQ at (202)456-2710 to urge the repeal of the rider, and
cancellation of Tobe West.  Thanks!