^^ FORESTRY BILLS PASS KEY COMMITTEES, MOVE TO FLOOR ^^
Forestry reform bills making their way through the California Legislature passed key committee tests this week, but significant challenges remain in both the State Senate and the Assembly. Two Assembly bills authored by Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Fred Keeley (D-Santa Cruz) passed out of the Assembly Appropriations committee yesterday, thanks to a great deal of hard work and many, many constituent phone calls and letters (*many thanks* to everyone who has already spoken out on this issue). Two other positive forestry-related bills are now awaiting consideration by the full Senate. Despite the well-reasoned, moderate approach to reform taken by all of these bills, industry opposition to the Assembly bills remains very strong. These measures need the most support from concerned Californians at the present time, as they face a June 4 deadline for passing the full Assembly floor in the toughest vote yet.
AB 717 corrects known, documented deficiencies in existing forestry law by requiring adequate analysis of environmental impacts related to logging, improving accountability among state agencies charged with reviewing logging plans, and establishing civil and criminal penalties sufficient to deter illegal logging. AB 748 ends a long-standing industry subsidy by directing the Board of Forestry to establish a schedule of filing fees for logging plans, the proceeds of which would cover some of the costs associated with environmental review of logging plans.
Two Senate bills authored by State Senator Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) also direct the Board of Forestry to tighten up its rules. SB 620 requires that the Board examine the relationships between logging and erosion on the state's steep hillsides and adopt regulations to implement its conclusions. SB 621 seeks rules to protect remaining major runs of coho salmon in the state and also establishes a procedure for assessing civil penalties when logging laws are broken.
Taken together, these bills begin to address some of the long-standing problems related to logging that previous administrations have diligently swept under the rug. All of the measures take the type of moderate, reasonable approach necessary to move through the Legislature. The timber industry, however, is well-known for fighting every attempt at reform, no matter how modest, and has mustered an all-out effort to kill these measures.
Passage of these bills will be a key test of the abilities of the grassroots conservation movement in California. Legislators need to know that these bills are modest, reasonable, necessary and at the top of the environmental community's agenda. Because the industry can mobilize a dozen professional lobbyists at the drop of a hat to walk the Capitol halls, those of us who care about California's forests should make it a priority this week to TAKE ACTION...
^^ CONTACT YOUR ASSEMBLY MEMBER AND SENATOR TODAY!! ^^
If you live in California, your elected representatives need to hear from you about these bills. Deadlines are approaching fast, and passage of these measures (especially the Assembly bills) is far from certain. In fact, it won't happen without your help! So...
** 1. Call or fax your Assembly member TODAY with the following message: ** "Please vote AYE on AB 717 and 748 on the Assembly floor when they come to a vote next week. These are moderate, well-documented bills that will help keep our water clean, conserve our native fisheries, and restore accountability to California's forestry laws. These bills are very high priorities for the conservation community, and deserve your full support." For information on how to contact your Assembly member, call the State Government Information line at (916) 322-9900, or visit the Assembly home page at
http://www.assembly.ca.gov
and click the "Find My District" or "Member Directory" link.
** 2. Call or fax your State Senator TODAY with the following message: **
"Please vote AYE on SB 620 and 621 when they come to a vote on the Senate floor. In recent years, logging operations in geologically unstable areas have caused harm to California's water quality and threatened salmon fishery. It's time for the Board of Forestry to evaluate and address these problems."
To contact your State Senator, call the State Government Information line at (916) 322-9900, or visit the Senate home page at
http://www.sen.ca.gov
and click on the "Senators" link.
** Thanks for doing your part on behalf of forestry reform in California!! **
^^ SCIENTIST EXPOSES SHORTCOMINGS IN STATE LOGGING LAWS ^^
Underscoring the need for legislative action, U.S. Forest Service scientist Dr. Leslie Reid on Tuesday released a highly critical report concerning California's forestry laws. The report was written in response to a legislator's query as to whether the Forest Practice Act and rules are effective in preventing the so-called "cumulative impacts" of logging in forest watersheds. The answer, according to the report, is a rather unambiguous "NO."
Dr. Reid's report first demystifies the term "cumulative impacts," which simply denotes a combination of influences from multiple activities in an area over time. The impacts of individually minor projects often combine to produce significant damage, and specific projects must be carefully analyzed in this context.
Dr. Reid reviewed scientific literature and studies, many of which were produced or commissioned by the timber industry, to show that logging fundamentally alters the way water moves through a forest watershed. These changes have resulted in up to a tenfold increase in landslides on some areas logged in the past 15 years (i.e., under the provisions of the Forest Practice Act and rules). Such data contradict the timber industry's unsubstantiated assertions that current environmental problems are solely the result of historic logging practices.
The report goes on to conclude that current rules do not prevent this type of impact from occurring, nor do they ensure that enough trees remain standing along streams to provide the stability that ensures clean water and good aquatic habitat. Furthermore, the report cites studies showing that removal of forest vegetation changes runoff volumes during rainstorms, contributing to erosion and flooding.
Dr. Reid recommends several changes in state forestry laws that go beyond those currently before the Legislature, including:
Dr. Reid is a highly respected scientist, and these recommendations should not be taken lightly. The timber industry, and to a certain extent the state bureaucracy, will no doubt see these sound recommendations as extreme. They are necessary, however, to ensure that logging operations do no ruin our water quality and drive our native fisheries extinct. Our job as concerned citizens is to educate ourselves, each other, and decision-makers about this reality so that one day soon we can create the political will to move these types of changes from the drawing board of the necessary to the world of the possible.
(EPIC has copies of Dr. Reid's report; please contact us if you would like to receive one.)
The Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)
P.O. Box 397
Garberville, CA 95542
(707) 923-2931
Fax 923-4210
http://www.igc.org/epic/
Contact us at epic@igc.org to join our listserver
HR
^^ URGENT California Legislative Update ^^
June 2, 1999
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1) CALLS NEEDED **TODAY** IN SUPPORT OF SB 621
2) ASSEMBLY BILL NOW ON 2-YEAR TRACK
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
^ COHO SALMON PROTECTION BILL FACES FLOOR VOTE JUNE 3 ^
State Senator Byron Sher's SB 621 comes before the full Senate for a vote this Thursday, June 3. This bill directs the California Board of Forestry to adopt much-needed coho salmon protection regulations and gives the California Department of Forestry authority to seek civil penalties against lawbreaking loggers.
Coho salmon are extremely sensitive to logging-related habitat damage. Despite their "threatened" status under the federal Endangered Species Act throughout northern and central California, state and federal officials have failed to develop legally mandated protection measures for this once-plentiful fishery for more than two years. SB 621 takes an important step toward addressing this growing problem.
Illegal logging can be a very profitable business in California. If taken to court and convicted of a violation of the state's logging laws, a criminal logger can expect to pay a maximum $1,000 fine--often far less than the value of the trees that were illegally cut. SB 621 allows the Department of Forestry to seek penalties for violations that are high enough to actually deter lawbreakers and put an end to the profitability of lawless logging.
The timber industry opposes this legislation despite the fact that there are really no good arguments against it. The industry also has an army of professional lobbyists able to cover the halls of the Capitol. Fortunately, we know that there are countless concerned citizens throughout the state who are willing to make the calls that will *make a difference*!
PLEASE CALL OR FAX YOUR STATE SENATOR **TODAY** AND ASK FOR HER OR HIS SUPPORT OF SB 621!
To contact your State Senator, call the State Government Information line at (916) 322-9900, or point your web browser to
http://www.sen.ca.gov/
Thank you!
^ ASSEMBLY BILL 717 NOW ON TWO-YEAR TRACK ^
First of all, a heartfelt "THANK YOU" to everyone who called, wrote letters, and sent faxes to Assembly members in support of Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Fred Keeley's AB 717. This bill faced tremendous opposition not only from timber interests but also from a few representatives of labor unions. Thanks to the hard work of Mr. Keeley and his staff--and the tremendous grassroots support for these bills--AB 717 weathered two very difficult committee votes in April and May.
Unfortunately, the bill faces a June 4 deadline for clearing an extremely tough hurdle on the Assembly floor. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to gather the votes necessary to pass the floor by the deadline without significantly compromising the bill, which contains the most comprehensive (and therefore controversial) reforms to come before the Legislature this year.
To his credit, Mr. Keeley has been unwilling to accept industry proposals to weaken the bill, and has instead moved the legislation to a two-year track. This gives grassroots supporters of timber reform in California time to continue educating their Assembly representatives about the necessity for the reasonable, well-considered reform measures contained in AB 717.
We'll keep you informed of future developments regarding this and other legislation. Our voices will be critical to eventually passing this much-needed bill! Thanks again for your support... and stay tuned...
The Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)
P.O. Box 397
Garberville, CA 95542
(707) 923-2931
Fax 923-4210
http://www.igc.org/epic/
Contact us at epic@igc.org to join our listserver
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