Protect Our Heritage Forests

Heritage Forests Campaign Week In Review

August 17, 2001

For More Information: Le Evans, NET, 202-887-1342 or 202-487-7465 (cell)

BUSH: Challenged On Forests, Character In Colorado Taking a brief respite from his month-long Texas vacation, President Bush was greeted by more than 150 protesters as he traveled to Colorado for an environmental photo-op, a lecture on character, and a major fundraiser.

The Heritage Forests Campaign sponsored an ad in the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News that challenged Bush to demonstrate true character by fulfilling his pledge to protect our national forests. View a pdf version of the ad, published in the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News on August 14, 2001

"Officials of Colorado environmental groups criticized President Bush¹s visit to the state as an attempt to paint himself as environmentally friendly despite proposals to increase oil and gas drilling in sensitive areas." - Associated Press, August 14, 2001

"His policies, including a desire to drill for oil ... have left many voters with qualms about Mr. Bush's stewardship of the environment." - Frank Bruni, The New York Times August 15, 2001

VENEMAN: Acknowledges Little Fire Risk in Roadless

The Bush administration acknowledged that roadless areas pose no increased wildfire risk. The admission came as Agriculture Secretary was travelling in Idaho, and is contrary the position of the state of Idaho, which is suing the Forest Service to "stop the roadless rule from taking effect in part because it claimed the rule would hamper efforts to reduce the threat of fire." - Rocky Barker, The Idaho Statesman August 14, 2001

Veneman outlined a new 10-year fire plan that "sets the priority for active thinning and management programs in forests and rangelands surrounding Western communities. Because most of the 58 million acres of roadless land is away from communities, the conflicts will be few, Veneman said during a tour of the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise." - Rocky Barker, The Idaho Statesman August 14, 2001

EDITORIAL ROUNDUP: Boston and Atlanta Critical of Bush In a sweeping broadside aimed at the Bush administration effort to undo the balanced forest conservation policy, both The Atlanta Journal- Constitution and The Boston Globe were critical of the current Bush administration scoping process.

From The Atlanta Journal- Constitution: "What the administration really wants is a way to kill a needed preservation rule approved during the Clinton presidency that its timber, mining and poil buddies don¹t like. The Bush Forest Service has proposed 10 questions that might be summed up in just one: Which trees should we cut first?" The editorial goes on to answer each of the ten questions. - Editorial, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution August 10, 2001

From The Boston Globe: "Now the rule is being undermined by the Bush administration on two fronts. The Justice Department is failing to defend it in court challenges. Also, the administration has begun steps to amend the rule, an open-ended process that would doubtless benefit the timber, mining, and oil industries." - Editorial, The Boston Globe August 13, 2001)

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NOTE: For copies of all stories, please contact Le Evans at 202-887-1342.

The Heritage Forests Campaign is an alliance of conservationists, wildlife advocates, clergy, educators, scientists, and other Americans working together to uphold protection of our National Forests. Heritage Forests Campaign¹s partners include Alaska Rainforest Coalition, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, National Environmental Trust, National Audubon Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, US PIRG, and The Wilderness Society.