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 Fighting for our
forests
The trees, critters, wildlife
habitats, and watersheds under attack across the country can’t
speak for themselves--but, thanks to your help, we’re speaking
for them! In February, a coalition of conservation groups
represented by Earthjustice lodged a complaint in federal
court challenging the Bush administration’s new rules for
managing the nation’s 192 million acres of national forests.
The challenged regulations seriously weaken protections for
wildlife and the environment under the National Forest
Management Act, protections which have been supported by
Democratic and Republican administrations alike for almost
three decades. For more about our work on this
issue, click here
.
Advocate Profile:
Cara Pike, VP of Communications
 As Earthjustice adapts to the challenges posed by the current political
climate, Cara’s the one mapping out innovative new
communications strategies to ensure that the work we do in the
courtroom creates far-reaching change. “More than ever, people
are turning to Earthjustice and to environmental law because
our effectiveness has become well known. Now our efforts
include projects aimed at expanding public support for the
environmental values underlying issues Earthjustice advocates
in the courts--no small task! After seven and a half years,
working with the talented staff at Earthjustice is still
exciting and challenging. I feel fortunate that I am in a
position to make a difference for the wilderness I love, and
to work with people fighting toxic pollution in their own
backyards.”Read Cara’s profile this month and find out how
she became our Vice President of Communications.
 Tom Turner is Earthjustice's Senior Editor.
E-mail
him at tomturner@earthjustice.org.
Manipulating
Science
Frequently people express surprise that we
spend so much of our time dragging government agencies into
court.
“I thought the Environmental Protection Agency
protected the environment,” they’ll say. “I thought the Fish
and Wildlife Service protected fish and wildlife and the
Forest Service protected forests.” These are perfectly
reasonable assumptions, but they are often quite wrong,
especially when political appointees suppress or interfere
with science at these agencies where decisions are supposed to
be based on science.
The Union of Concerned
Scientists and Public Employees for
Environmental Responsibility
recently sent a survey
to 1,400 biologists employed by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Even though many were encouraged by their bosses to ignore the
survey, 414 biologists responded, which is quite
extraordinary. More than half of those who responded,
according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, reported that agency officials
have reversed or withdrawn scientific conclusions under
pressure from industry groups. Others spoke of being told to
omit data or change conclusions to justify a predetermined
recommendation.
So what is a citizen to do? We found
the following observation by one biologist particularly
gratifying:
“I have never seen so many findings and
recommendations by the field be turned around at the regional
and Washington level. All we can do at the field level is
ensure that our administrative record is complete and hope we
get sued by an environmental or conservation organization.”
Emphasis added. This is what we
do.
Tom Turner, Senior
Editor
tomturner@earthjustice.org
Mail Bag
On to your letters. Keep ‘em coming and
please keep ‘em short... Please continue to fight
for our forests, fish, and wildlife. All I can do is write e-mails, but I want to encourage you to continue your fight
for the above, and for PEOPLE!
-Beverly
Carroll In Minnesota, there is
talk of or they have passed a law to get a 25-dollar bounty on
coyote kills. I am sure that this is no way to deal with the
problem. People will just shoot anything for sport or money.
Has anyone checked into this?
-Mary Smith
TT: Anyone know about this?
I would say the quote
about foolish consistency does apply to Mr. Bush who seems
totally unable to admit to errors or to listen to anyone
else’s opinions--after all we are either with him or against
him--a really polarizing statement!
-D.
Jackson
I am appalled at the
idea of what Pacific Lumber is threatening. I have an idea,
though. It is not directly related to Pacific Lumber, yet it
still favors the longevity of these beautiful trees. If the
cost of paper could increase, significantly, then perhaps
people would not be so wasteful. Anyone can purchase a
100-page bundle of paper (e.g. loose leaf notebook,
construction, computer) etc. for less than five dollars. Paper
isn’t currently treated as a high priced commodity. Waste is a
common practice in this country. 150-100 years ago, only the
rich could afford the luxury of paper. If paper had more
value, than perhaps it would not be treated so carelessly.
Trees could be saved. When you have a moment, let me know what
you think. I frequently enjoy reading your website, keep up
the good work.
-Holli Ann Wiley
TT: A rise in price might curtail waste
of paper, but I think more and better recycling, plus using
kenaf and other fast-growing alternatives to trees, might be a
superior solution. The trees Pacific Lumber wants to cut are
used mostly for construction, not paper. (Here's thePacific Lumber story again, in
case you missed it last month.)
[That Pacific Lumber is
demanding to log more trees] is absolutely horrifying. Maybe
we need more Julia Butterflies. Can't we have a national
protest and everyone in the country that this upsets make a
trip up there and hug trees?
-Sondra York
I am a Californian
interested in political demonstrations against Pacific Lumber.
Are you aware of any on the horizon?
-William
Neblett
TT: I don’t know of any personally, but I
would urge you to write Senator Dianne Feinstein, who was
a major player in getting the federal funding for the
Headwaters deal, and let her know how you feel about what
Pacific Lumber is threatening. Her office uses aweb form
. Please continue to speak
out strongly about the need to enforce the protection of our
natural resources. The business interests involved in Alaska
and New Mexico do not have the right to ignore the
restrictions already enacted. Thank you for pursuing these
situations.
-Ruth S. Kulmacz
I am an environmentalist working
on transportation issues because that is where I felt we could
get our biggest bang for the buck. I continue to support calls
to save the Arctic and public lands from energy exploitation,
but feel we must do something about energy demand. One of the
greatest obstacles to moving from more highways to transit
systems is the unlevel field of analysis requirements between
highway and transit projects. NEPA requires a fair
consideration of alternatives, but that is not supported by
USDOT analysis standards. Please check out the Brookings Report
, “Highways and Transit: Leveling the
Field in Transportation Policy.” If addressing this issue
interests you then we might have the vehicle for challenging
this situation in court.
-David Coyte
I’ve said this for years
and, as a geomorphologist, I’ll say it again: We don’t need to
burn anything for power.
-Henry del’Giudice
Your comments are always welcome. Send them to me at
tomturner@earthjustice.org.
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I am replying you on your queries about Sarajevo ZOO and the condition of the bear in it. We have managed in association with people who are in charge of it, to make an agreement to 25.000 euros are invested into the bear den, instead of using it to build a menagerie and that the ZOO changes it's purpose to be an Eco-center which will take care of the threatened spieces that live in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 1. The size of the ZOO is 8,5 acers, and the new cage is beeing built within the new ZOO. At the moment the bear is accomodated in a cage for wolfs in a space of 25 square meters wihtout the possibility to exit the cage. 1a. It is the Brown bear (Ursus arctos) that we are talking about here. 2. We have got in total 300 sqare meters for the new accomodation within there is supposed to be a den for him which would be the 50 square meters where the two bears would stay. 3. Special permists to build aren't necessary because the construction will take place within the present ZOO, but it has to be a certified project. 4. In Croatia an electrical fence can be made, but in this case we have to avoid putting it up because the visitors aren't educated enough. Our voltage is 220V. 5. The are where the object should be built is flat and there are some trees, but we plan reforestation. 5a. We don't haeve any projects of the enclosure for the bear yet, but we would ask You to give us projects if you have, because we need an enclosure for two bears. 6. Nearby there is a natural and artificial water sources, so water is no problem at all. 7. We are thanking for the offer that some of you help us, and we will be greateful to you if there is a need for help. 8. We are planing to house two bears in this space. 9. At the moment the fence of the wolfes cage where the bear is located is made out of steel fence, and in the new object we intend to put a water channel. In attachment, i'm sending you the photographs of the enclosure and the bear in Pionirska dolina and the bear on Vlasic. Best regards, Velja Pas Udruzenje gradjana za sprecavanje okrutnosti nad zivotinjama "SOS" - Sarajevo. ------------------------- How you can help email Earthhope Action Network:
The proposed construction site is right
in the heart of a coral reef, which nurtures diverse marine life including sea turtles and dugongs - relatives of the manatee.
Habitat degradation and increasing scarcity of their food have led to the dugong's recent classification as an endangered species. Unfortunately, no active measures have been taken to ensure their
conservation. As few as 12 dugongs are left in the Okinawa waters. If the plan proceeds, the dugongs of Japan may be lost
forever. 
- Rebecca,
As you know, last week the Senate
voted to approve a back-door approach attempting to pave the
way for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. While we may have lost this round, the battle to
protect the Arctic Refuge if far from over. Read Policy
Press Secretary Cat Lazaroff’s column for the full story and
find out how last week’s vote only succeeded in adding more
controversy to an already controversial and difficult budget
process. 
The Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge in northeast Alaska encompasses almost 20 million acres
of pristine wilderness. Marshes, lagoons, rivers, and
mountains adorn the expansive tundra, and the coastal plain of
the Refuge joins with the Beaufort Sea. The Arctic Refuge is
home to polar bears, brown bears, musk oxen, wolves, millions
of migratory birds, and the Porcupine caribou herd, which
relies on the region to raise calves each year. 
Thanks to the hard work of Earthjustice’s
International Program and its allies in Japan, the estimated
fifty remaining Okinawa dugongs have a chance to survive.
Earlier this month a judge denied a motion by the U.S.
Department of Defense to dismiss a lawsuit challenging plans
to construct a new airbase on a coral reef on the east coast
of Okinawa, Japan. Conservationists are concerned that the
proposed 1.5-mile-long airbase to be built over a coral reef
would destroy the remaining habitat of the endangered Okinawa
dugong, a cultural icon of the Okinawan people. The
judge's ruling assures that the dugong and the Okinawan people
will get their day in court.