Forest Advocates Call for Greater Transparency in New Federal Lands Proposal
12/18/2012
By Jes Burns
Former Lane Commissioner Jerry Rust delivered a letter to the governor Tuesday asking for full disclosure of the Timber Harvest Panel's sessions.
“These are public lands, these are public forests, public laws, and public legislation is being proposed. And as we stand right here today, we are completely frozen out of the process. We have no idea what’s going on behind closed doors, and we’d frankly like to know why all the secrecy.”
Cristina Hubbard with Forest Web of Cottage Grove wants to keep the so-called O&C lands protected by federal law.
“As it is now written, the O&C Trust, Conservation, and Jobs Act is a bill that would turn over 70% of the O&C lands over to a timber trust to be managed without federal environmental and clean water protections.”
Both Rust and Hubbard fear the land would be managed primarily for timber harvest, which would increase clear-cutting.
Several Oregon lawmakers, including Representative Peter Defazio, are endorsing an early draft of the law. Defazio’s office says the proposal would create jobs, help county budgets, and provide environmental protections. Any plan would have to be passed by Congress.
source: http://klcc.org/Feature.asp?FeatureID=4087
12/18/2012
By Jes Burns
Former Lane Commissioner Jerry Rust delivered a letter to the governor Tuesday asking for full disclosure of the Timber Harvest Panel's sessions.
“These are public lands, these are public forests, public laws, and public legislation is being proposed. And as we stand right here today, we are completely frozen out of the process. We have no idea what’s going on behind closed doors, and we’d frankly like to know why all the secrecy.”
Cristina Hubbard with Forest Web of Cottage Grove wants to keep the so-called O&C lands protected by federal law.
“As it is now written, the O&C Trust, Conservation, and Jobs Act is a bill that would turn over 70% of the O&C lands over to a timber trust to be managed without federal environmental and clean water protections.”
Both Rust and Hubbard fear the land would be managed primarily for timber harvest, which would increase clear-cutting.
Several Oregon lawmakers, including Representative Peter Defazio, are endorsing an early draft of the law. Defazio’s office says the proposal would create jobs, help county budgets, and provide environmental protections. Any plan would have to be passed by Congress.
source: http://klcc.org/Feature.asp?FeatureID=4087
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