🚀 go-pugleaf

 
For Immediate Release: May 21, 1996
 
Contact:       Steve Holmer
          Western Ancient Forest Campaign
          202/789-2844 ext. 291
          wafcdc@igc.apc.org
 
 
REPUBLICANS CONTINUE ATTACK ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
 
     Just one week after Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-
GA) outlined the Republican's principles for environmental
protection, that included sound science, House Republicans are
attacking the scientific ecoregion assessments being carried out in
the Sierra Nevada and the Columbia Basin.  The House Resources
Committee is holding an oversight hearing today on the regional
scientific assessments at 10:00 am, 1324 Longworth HOB.  
 
     Two weeks ago, House Republicans Rep. Helen Chenoweth
(R-ID) and Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) attacked the Columbia Basin
Scientific Assessment before the Interior Appropriations
Subcommittee, claiming it was a threat to private property.  Chief
Jack Ward Thomas of the Forest Service repeatedly assured the
Committee that no decisions based on the assessment would apply
to private lands.
 
     "Rep. George Nethercutt (R-WA) tried to completely gut the
Columbia Basin Initiative last year with a rider on the Interior
Appropriations bill, now Members of the Resources Committee are
continuing the attack," said Steve Holmer, Campaign Coordinator
for Western Ancient Forest Campaign, "The Republicans appear to
be afraid of revealing the biological reality of decades of abuse
caused by too much logging, roadbuilding, grazing and mining in
the Columbia Basin and the Sierra Nevada."
 
     These assessments study entire ecosystems to learn their
condition and how they operate.  This information allows land
managers such as the Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management to do better, more cost-effective planning and helps to
ensure that management activities on those lands are appropriate. 
Chief Thomas estimated that revising all of the management plans
in the Columbia Basin to bring them into compliance with law
would cost an estimated $200 million.  Using information from the
scientific assessment will allow all of the management plans to be
updated simultaneously at a cost of only $30 million.  The scientific
assessments also provide information on past impacts and identify
areas in need of restoration.  
 
     "It's obvious, that Newt Gingrich was only interested in
creating a new green smoke screen with his latest pronouncements,
to hide the next round of Republican attacks on our public lands
and the scientific research we need to effectively manage and
protect them," said Holmer.