Posted on 08/21/2002 6:20:28 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
Bush to push for thinning
The Associated Press, 8/21/02 4:21 AM
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) -- President Bush will address forest health issues when he visits Medford on Thursday, most likely pushing for more intensive thinning of Western forests to reduce fire danger.
When they reach Medford, the president and U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith will receive a briefing on Oregon wildfires, according to Joe Sheffo, Smith's press secretary.
Bush and Smith will then be taken on a tour of the area burned by the Squire fire southeast of Ruch. The fire scorched nearly 3,000 acres of public and private land after it was sparked by lightning July 13.
The president's visit comes as Western lawmakers draw up legislation to speed cutting of overgrown forests. Administration officials have blamed tangles of environmental rules for slowing logging on federal lands and want cutting accelerated to meet targets set by the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan.
Environmental groups, long critical of the president for appointing friends of timber and other industries to top posts, said the president is simply using Western wildfires to justify increased logging.
"This administration was pushing logging before these fires, it's pushing logging because of these fires, and it'll be pushing logging after these fires," said Nathaniel Lawrence of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The White House on Tuesday invited Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber to join the president in Southern Oregon on Thursday, when Bush will ride in a helicopter over the huge Biscuit Fire and visit a smaller fire closer to Medford.
Kitzhaber has led an effort by the Western Governors' Association to address wildfire threats across the West.
The Bush administration has signed onto the governors' plan of stepped-up thinning, and Bush will promote that Thursday. But the administration has so far not committed to the funding the governors want and in some cases has suggested firefighting costs have escalated out of control.
Governors from Idaho, Arizona and Montana also have been invited to join the president in Medford.
The president will also have politics on my mind.
"This is very significant for us," state Republican Party Chairman Perry Atkinson said. "We know that Oregon is one of the targeted states in the next election cycle."
If Atkinson had any doubts, he was jokingly reminded of that in the days just before Bush's inauguration.
"When I met with the president, he leaned over and said, 'Just 6,776 votes, are you going to make it up to me next time?' " Atkinson said, referring to the number of votes that Bush lost Oregon by in the 2000 election.
"I told him we would do our best."
The current Oval Office occupant will not be the first President Bush to have visited the Rogue Valley.
His father made a presidential visit to Medford in mid-September, 1992. Before that, the last presidential visit came when President Gerald Ford arrived in 1976.
Rutherford B. Hayes was the only other sitting president to visit the Rogue Valley, arriving in September of 1880.
Mornin' Dave, always nice to wake up to good news. I told you this was coming and I hope this point is DRIVEN home with such force as to leave no DOUBT whose policies are responsible for.....what is it now 6million acres torched this year....so far?
Yep...everything they propose legislatively revolves around expanding the Size and Intrusiveness of the Federal Leviathan. That's why we call 'em "Watermelons"...Green on the Outside, but Red on the Inside!!
FReegards...MUD
Stay Safe Ya'll !!!
Later on this thread I will post data about where Oregone's economy is after years of domination by a Green poster boy governor and control of the media by the Greens. It ain't pretty sight.
Root Suckers
Thanks for the visit and helping us battle the Watermelon Green Jihadists of America in Oregon and the other 49 states!
This is one of those wonderful days where there is abundant proof that America is still functional. If you can pull off Gov. Simon, I will be in awe. Please make it happen. We are definitely a FREE REPUBLIC, and not in name only.
Note: I/m in hold for Neal Boortz right now, gotta go.
The Biscuit fire in SW Oregon has been burning for over a month as per the Fire is Good Agenda of the Green Jihadists. More on that later.
The entire population of Southern Oregon has been exposed to terrible smoke for over a month. Our own freepers have had to put up with this smoke for over a month. Some of the fires will not be put out until the fall winter rains come in late October early November.
We have had smoke from these fires in the Wine Country of Kali and as far south as Fresno. I talked to a friend in Southern Oregon yesterday afternoon. His daughter and grand kids had driven the back routes from Lake Tahoe to where he lives between Ashland and Medford.
It was so smoky that his daughter never saw Mt. Shasta or Lassen on her trip. On a clear summer day, she can usually start seeing them north of the Sacramento area.
How much air pollution have these Good Fires of the Green Weenies caused over Oregon, California, Nevada and even Utah, as I was informed this week.
Your criticism here is dishonest.
The ANWR drilling bill passed the House, but Daschle wouldn't even let it come to the floor for a vote in the Senate.
So if you want to blame someone, blame Daschle. You can't criticize President Bush for this one. It doesn't work.
And what does W say when Daschle blocks ANWR, judicial appointments, etc, etc etc? Nothing.
And what does W do when Congress trashes the Constitution with CFR? He signs the bill.
And what does W do when Congress federalizes airport security and creates a huge new tax burden? He endorses it with a Mineta saying they can roust old ladies but not Arabs.
Reagan would have gotten on TV and pointed out how stupid and dangerous what the left does, Bush just talks conservative, caves to the liberals, and calls it compassionate conservatism.
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