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http://www.omniture.com --> Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend May 11, 2006 Firefighter group pans Walden's forest bill By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune A group representing wildland firefighters wants Congress to reject the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act, whose chief sponsor is 2nd Congressional District Rep. Greg Walden . Members of the Eugene-based Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology FUSEE said Tuesday that HR 4200 could increase fire risks while undercutting efforts to reduce hazardous fire conditions near rural communities. "HR 4200 does not help protect communities before severe wildfires ignite, and could increase the risk of wildfire by diverting resources away from necessary fuels reduction around homes to logging in the backcountry," Rich Fairbanks, a FUSEE executive board member and Applegate Valley resident, said during a conference call to the media. Joining him were FUSEE executive director Timothy Ingalsbee of Eugene and U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico. The bill is now waiting action by the full House. Walden, a Republican from Hood River, and fellow U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., introduced the bill last fall. Walden, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, told the Mail Tribune earlier this year the bill would give federal land managers the ability to complete a swift evaluation of the condition of burned federal forestlands, then make a decision and act on it. The bill would give managers 30 days after a wildfire or other catastrophe to come up with a forest restoration plan, followed by a 90-day public comment period. Opponents to a specific project could then take legal action after the comment period if desired. Walden said his interest in crafting the bill was sparked by the fact the U.S. Forest Service took two years before selling timber killed by the 2002 Biscuit fire in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. But salvage opponents counter that it was the agency's decision to boost the harvest from its original decision of 100 million board feet to about 370 million board feet that caused the salvage logjam, prompting lawsuits and protests. Less than 60 million board feet of timber burned by the fire has been harvested. Fairbanks, who spent two decades fighting wildfires for the U.S. Forest Service, questioned why a new law is needed to expedite timber salvage decisions. The agency encountered no regulatory constraints when it decided to offer 16 million board feet of roadside salvage after the 2002 Biscuit fire, said Fairbanks, interdisciplinary team leader for the Biscuit fire recovery project before retiring after 32 years with the agency. "It took us about three days," he said of completing National Environmental Policy Act NEPA requirements. "We had that wood on the market while it was still good for saw logs — there was no delay." Udall, the ranking Democrat on the House Forests and Forest Health Subcommittee, suggested that outside influences are behind this legislation. "Big timber interests have been pushing for this type of legislation — it's typical of what's happening in Congress," he said. According to the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics, Walden was the top congressional recipient of money from the forestry and timber products industry in 2004, with nearly $108,000 received, The Associated Press reported. He has received $64,000 from the timber industry in 2006, again placing him at the top of the list, the group said Walden described Udall's comment as a "cheap shot," according to The AP. "He's against any change in the federal forest policy that we offer," Walden said. For more information about the legislation, check the Web at http://thomas.loc.gov and type in the bill number HR 4200 in the search field. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496; e-mail him at [email protected] . Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy