Posted on 01/09/2006 8:18:26 PM PST by SmithL
Seattle -- A federal judge who struck down a Bush administration decision to ease logging restrictions last summer issued an injunction Monday blocking as many as 144 timber sales in three states.
The sales in Washington, Oregon and northern California had been approved under the administration's decision to stop requiring that the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management look for and protect rare plants and animals before logging on 5.5 million acres covered by the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan.
The Bush administration eliminated the so-called "survey and manage" rule in spring 2004 as part of a legal settlement with the timber industry. Environmental groups sued over the decision, arguing that it was arbitrary and that the government had not evaluated what the impact would be on protected species such as the great gray owl.
Last August, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman agreed, striking down the new rule. At the time, she did not say whether she would allow the 144 timber sales — approved since the rule's adoption — to proceed. About half of those sales included old-growth logging.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
You better stop feeding the snarling wildlife or I'll report you to GANG-GREEN!!!
Is you brother a dues paying member of the litiguous Audubon Society here in CA?
I am sure he is. Habitat for the birds, particularly rare birds, is king, for him. We all have our little agendas. It is the American way.
Hey, congress has Ron Paul, an we got Sam. One is better then none. When things go south, I don't believe that the socialist dogma will play well to angry pissed off peasants. Now the socialists are screwin' with keynesian dogma with this bond fiasco. What's a future Roosevelt ta do? Will folks stay calm when the new version of the WPA and CCC study mushrooms and write reports instead of fixing roads and bridges?
I HATE WHEN THEY DO THESE BOGUS DECISIONS!!!
Yes! I know you can hand it out as well as take it! You're a good, productive, well educated and trained member of RURAL CA!!! And an actual "forester," at that!!! I sure as hell wish YOU were in charge of our natural resources!!! Both you and Mark, or either one of you can run circles around those pinheads in the Crapitol!!!
"I must confess that it seams academic to me to talk about maintaining the balance of nature. The balance of nature in any strict sense has been upset long ago, and there is no such thing to maintain. The only option we have is to create a new balance objectively determined upon for each area in accordance with intended use of the area."
Aldo Leopold 1927
As for your other post, yes, we should thin them or we shall lose them to fire, insects or disease.
See I'm givin you vital information that even your silly birdin brother doesn't even know!!! How much did he contribute to the fallacious "Save Mono Lake" litigation that developed the ridiculous "Public Trust Doctrine" that has all the water in CA all tied up in endless litigation over endless environmental issues to thwart both good and bad development???
I flat disagree with that statement! It's more like the "Old European" way, If you ask me... Which, of course, you didn't!
Mono Lake is sacred ground. You probably don't care if the Sea of Galilee dries up either.
It's time to get our priorities straight and kick the buts of some of these urban environmentalists.
"second there is but 5% left here in the NW"
I've heard that too and I agree. If it's about the money, the timber companies better have something else up their sleeve 'cuz that %5 isn't going to last. (And they DO have ideas to make money and good for them).
I know a guy that has some mining property - "claim" status. He is trying to get the investment needed to make it a "prospect" (or whatever the next step up is). It will entail some mining and development, but what he really is looking forward to is then in this "development" phase of the mine he can cut down the big cedar trees (old-growth?)to make his money. Helped him out once and wandering around these old trees (as big around as my bedroom) was something rare.
If he was actually going to make a productive mine out of it I'm not so sure I'd feel so bad about them. And the point about the old 1800's mining law that lets you "use" the land for a mine real cheap doesn't sit with me well either when he stands to makes LOTS of money from those trees.
And this place is out in the middle of nowhere.
On the other hand, there was an article about future development of the Snoqualmie Pass Ski resort. It hinges on if they can do a land swap. Looking at the map the "POSSIBLE" Spotted Owl habitat is wedged between two existing ski runs and just up the hill from the interstate and the lodge.
That's the trouble with laws and judges. The law says something like you can't just fill up a wetland if you want. But, the judge/state figures that then you need and environmental review (and pay some special permit fees!) to put up a fence near the ditch by the road.
Thanks for all the nice comments about me by the way....
" 3. The Giant Sequoias in Yosemite.
They are "not eternal", they are constantly changing and they die regularly."
If 1000 year old Seqoias are dying regularily they sure took their time doing it.
" About half of those sales included old-growth logging
If this is true, and I am dubious, then I would NOT support logging these acres. Nonetheless, the judge cannot just make rulings like this. There is no reason to log old growth, even if the timber companies want to. 2nd and 3rd growth is fine."
Harvesting old growth is not economical on a large scale. Modern head rigs cannot handle the size of the logs.
Only antiquated equipment can handle wood that size and the wasteage is as high as 10% to 20% debending on the size of the saw blade.
In Canada the most efficient mills are processing second and third growth wood.
Because now they are trying to build... "No one can own the land" on top of those other two shakey legs!!!
Now let me ask you! Do you care about that legal trend???
Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, it is the same crap that always happens when people let gov't get too big.
"He has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harrass our People, and eat out there substance."
Thomas Jefferson 1776
Some of the land should be privately owned. I hope that helps.
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