The Loma Prietan
February 2002
Letter to the LP from Anna G. Eshoo, Member of Congress
I always read the Loma Prietan with great interest, so when I came across the November 2001 article on H.R. 1494, "The National Forest Protection and Restoration Act," I was somewhat surprised. To read the article, it would almost seem that I was standing in the way of legislation to protect our forests. This couldn't be farther from the truth.
I've spent my public career working to protect our forests. As
a member of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, I authored a local ordinance to limit logging near residential areas. In Congress, I fought the timber salvage rider and supported President Clinton's roadless policy. In 1994, I brought to the House floor an amendment that would have ended the devastating practice of leveling every tree in a given stand, a practice known
as clearcutting.
In 1997, before H.R. 1494 was developed, I introduced a comprehensive forest protection bill, "The Act to Save America's Forests." I introduced this bill not to raise an issue but to enact new policy.
Instead of banning commercial logging (which could leave the door open to other kinds of logging), my bill bans all logging in roadless areas, watersheds, riparian corridors, and other areas of biodiversity. This allows nature, not foresters, to manage forestlands. My bill permits logging but only in areas that have been logged already. Additionally, loggers may only use methods that sustain the natural biodiversity of the forest; they may not clearcut nor claim the oldest or highest quality trees in a particular stand. Finally, they must restore the stand to its natural state.
All of these activities will be monitored by a committee of scientists, experts in ecology and other related fields, and the Forest Service will remain accountable to the American people, who will be able to sue for the enforcement of the Act in federal court.
A bipartisan group of 134 Members of Congress co-sponsored my bill in the last Congress. In addition, I worked with Senator Robert Torricelli to have "The Act to Save America's Forests" introduced in the United States Senate—a distinction that H.R. 1494 has not yet earned.
"The Act to Save America's Forests" has gained broad support largely because it is steeped in science. Over 600 scientists, including such authorities as Dr. Stuart Pimm of Columbia University's Center for Environmental Research and Conservation and Dr. Edward O. Wilson of Harvard University, support my bill, as does the Union of Concerned Scientists.
With the Bush Administration attempting to reverse many of
the environmental achievements of the 1990s, including the roadless policy, we need a federal law that fundamentally changes federal forest management practices in order to protect our forests.
Because of the bicameral and bipartisan support for "The Act to Save America's Forests," I believe it has the greatest chance of passing. I'm working with Senator Torricelli to make refinements
to the bill for reintroduction in the 107th Congress. Already more than 50 of my colleagues, including Members from the Bay Area, have committed to cosponsoring the bill.
I absolutely support the goals of H.R. 1494, and I'm grateful for the role this legislation and its supporters have had in educating my colleagues on the issue. I hope that this enthusiasm can also be put behind "The Act to Save America's Forests" so we can enact legislation that will succeed in changing federal forest policy.
Sincerely,
Anna G. Eshoo
Member of Congress
14th District, California