Act
to Save America's Forests Reintroduced
WASHINGTON,
D.C., August 1, 2002 - The Act to Save America's Forests has
just been reintroduced in the both the US Senate and the House
of Representatives. This groundbreaking legislation will protect
vital ecological areas, including the last remaining virgin
forests and roadless areas, and end clearcutting throughout
our national forest lands.
In both
the Senate and House, the Act was reintroduced with
record numbers of original cosponsors. In the Senate, Senator
Torricelli (D-NJ) and two other lead sponsors, Senator John
Kerry (D-MA) and Senator Max Cleland (D-GA) acquired 6 original
Senate cosponsors, a new Senate record.
SEVEN
SENATORS Now Support Protection and Restoration
for the Entire National Forest System!
In
the House, Representative Eshoo (D-CA) and two other
lead sponsors, Representative Robert Simmons (R-CT)
and Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) garnered a
total of 121 bipartisan original cosponsors of the Act,
a new record!
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, lead sponsor of the Act,
stated in a letter to her Congressional colleagues,
"There's overwhelming scientific evidence that
we're destroying America's natural legacy through overly
aggressive logging practices on federal forestlands...
It's evident that federal policy must move in a new
direction."
The Act to Save America's Forests is widely
supported by the scientific community. Over 600 of America's
leading scientists have signed a letter supporting the
Act. The Union of Concerned Scientists has endorsed
the Act, as has Dr. Peter Raven, Dr. E.O. Wilson,
and Dr. Jane Goodall. Most recently, Dr. Oswald Schmitz
of the Yale School of Forestry has written in support
of the Act.
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The reintroduction of the Act with so many original
cosponsors is a very positive sign. It demonstrates that a
substantial portion of Congress wants a major shift in management
of our national forests towards protection and restoration,
and away from the destructive policies of the past century
that have left but a small portion of our virgin forest ecosystems.
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