home of the wildlife conservation environmental and freedom activist

Natural Resources Defense Council's

CALIFORNIA ACTIVIST NETWORK ACTION ALERT

NRDC's California Activist Network was formed to mobilize and provide
action tools to Californians and others concerned with protecting the
state's extraordinary wealth of natural treasures and the health of
its citizens.

September 4, 2001
========================================
In This Issue:

--Action alerts--

1. Speak out to ensure the Presidio serves the public -- not private
-- interest

2. Tell Governor Davis the Channel Islands need marine reserves now

3. Tell the state legislature to put the brakes on California's
runaway gas consumption

4. Urge Governor Davis to sign the bill that would fix the state's
groundwater monitoring system

======================================================
You will also find these alerts in NRDC'S Earth Action Center, which
includes tools for taking action easily online, at
http://www.nrdc.org/action

(Please do not reply to this message; see the instructions below for
how to unsubscribe or contact NRDC with questions or comments.)

=============
Action alerts
=============

1. Speak out to ensure the Presidio serves the public -- not private
-- interest

Perched on bluffs overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and bounded by
residential neighborhoods, the Presidio of San Francisco possesses
unequaled scenic, historic, prehistoric and natural resources. It also
has a singular management structure: unlike any other national park,
much of the Presidio is managed not by the National Park Service, but
by an independent federal corporation -- the Presidio Trust. The Trust
is also charged with generating sufficient revenue to cover the costs
of managing the park.

The Trust is now planning the Presidio's future management and
direction, but rather than setting a course that will sustain this
unique park, it has released a draft plan that threatens to turn the
Presidio into a private business park -- leased out to the highest
bidders at the expense of public enjoyment and the park's vital
historic and natural resources. Under the Trust's proposed plan,
residential and commercial development levels would increase
significantly. The Trust is banking on attracting deep-pocket tenants
who can pay maximum rents in order to cover its escalating operating
costs and exceedingly high capital costs, but a weakening economy has
already resulted in increased vacancies and decreased rents in San
Francisco's commercial real estate market.

The Trust has an alternative, however, that can save the Presidio for
the enjoyment of all, protect its historical and natural resources,
and make it financially sustainable. The original General Management
Plan Amendment for the park has been overwhelmingly endorsed by the
public, and even the Trust's own financial data clearly show that
the Presidio would be self-sustaining under the GMPA.

The Trust is accepting public comments on its proposed plan through
October 25th.

== What to do ==
Send a message to the Presidio Trust, urging the agency to adhere to
the original GMPA and adopt a environmentally responsible plan that
calls for the Presidio to serve public purposes and requires fiscal
restraint.

== Contact information ==
You can send a message to the Trust directly from NRDC's Earth Action
Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action (we'll send a copy of your
message to Representative Nancy Pelosi). Or use the contact
information and sample letter below to send your own message.

John Pelka, NEPA Coordinator
Presidio Trust
34 Graham St., P.O. Box 29052
San Francisco, CA  94129-0052
Fax:  415-561-5308
Email:  ptip@presidiotrust.gov

Rep. Nancy Pelosi
2457 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515-0508
Phone:  202-225-4965
Fax:  202-225-2259
Email:  sf.nancy@mail.house.gov

== Sample letter ==

Subject:  Adopt the original General Management Plan Amendment for the
Presidio

Dear Mr. Pelka,

I urge the Presidio Trust to abandon its preferred Presidio Trust
Implementation Plan and to adopt instead a plan based on the original
General Management Plan Amendment.  

The draft PTIP plan threatens to compromise the Presidio's historic
and natural resources and cannot be justified on financial grounds.
Neither extensive new development nor significant increases in
employment or housing are necessary for financial self-sufficiency,
and the plan's failure to control operating and capital costs is
inconsistent with the financial mandate. Rather than a business park
or an elite "destination," the Presidio should be a place at which:

**tenants are chosen on the basis of the contributions they can make
to the park's mission, not their ability to pay the highest possible
rent;
**development does not exceed 5 million square feet, to avoid
jeopardizing the Presidio's status as a National Historic Landmark
District;
**employment and housing are capped at modest levels; and
**operating and other costs are tightly controlled.

The Trust's own financial data show that the Presidio's financial
mandate can be met, provided operating and capital costs are
controlled. The final plan must not only control costs, but also
protect park resources far better than the preferred plan does.  

Sincerely,  

[Your name and address]

2. Tell Governor Davis the Channel Islands need marine reserves now

When we last contacted you about the Channel Islands, the California
Fish & Game Commission was in the process of deciding where to site
fully protected marine reserves in the waters around the islands.
Since then, the Department of Fish & Game and the Channel Islands
National Marine Sanctuary have developed a recommendation and
presented it to the state for approval. This recommendation sets aside
close to 25 percent of the area around the islands as protected
reserves (scientists had recommended setting aside 30 percent), and
includes a number of concessions to accommodate fishermen.

Still, at the August hearing of the Fish & Game Commission, many
fishermen continued to lobby for smaller reserves or no reserves at
all. The decision is now before the Fish and Game commissioners, all
of whom were appointed by Governor Gray Davis. As Governor Davis
prepares to run for re-election next year, he needs to be reminded
that marine reserves deserve a high priority on his agenda.

== What to do ==
Tell Governor Davis that the Channel Islands need at least as much
protection as recommended by the Department of Fish & Game and they
need it now, before this unique ecosystem deteriorates further.

== For background ==
Keeping Oceans Wild
http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/mpa.asp

== Contact information ==
You can contact Governor Davis directly from NRDC's Earth Action
Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action. Or use the contact information
and sample letter below to send your own message.

Governor Gray Davis
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:  916-445-2841
Fax:  916-445-4633
Email:  graydavis@governor.ca.gov

== Sample letter ==

Subject:  Designate marine reserves around the Channel Islands now

Dear Governor Davis,

Over the past two years, the Channel Islands Marine Reserve Working
Group has worked to develop a recommendation for siting reserves
around the islands. This process involved local stakeholders and
residents, opportunity for public comment, and consideration of both
the ecology and the economics of the region. Based on this effort, the
Department of Fish & Game recommended designating close to 25 percent
of the area around the islands as protected reserves (an advisory
science panel told the department that to achieve important
conservation goals no less than 30 percent should be set aside).

The islands' unique ocean ecosystem is one of California's greatest
natural treasures, but it is suffering from overfishing. Once habitats
and fish are fully protected, they recover and thrive. Plus, a recent
nationwide poll showed that 85 percent of Americans favor stronger
protections inside national marine sanctuaries.

The need for action is urgent, and a decision is already overdue.  
Please make the Channel Islands a true sanctuary for marine wildlife
by implementing the department's recommended plan before the end of
this year.  

Sincerely,

[Your name and address]

3. Tell the state legislature to put the brakes on California's
runaway gas consumption

Over the next decade, California's gasoline and diesel consumption is
expected to soar by over 20 percent to over 20 billion gallons per
year. This means more pollution from tailpipes, refineries, pipelines,
and marine tankers will be fouling our air, water and coasts.

SB 1170 would take the first steps towards reducing California's
voracious appetite for oil by requiring state fleets to purchase
fuel-efficient cars (such as hybrids) and replacement tires. In
addition, the bill would require the state to develop a program to
label and promote the most fuel-efficient replacement tires on the
market.

== What to do ==
Tell your state assemblyperson to support and pass SB 1170 as a needed
step towards reducing California's dangerous over-dependence on oil.

== Contact information ==
You can email or fax your assembly member directly from NRDC's Earth
Action Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action.

4. Urge Governor Davis to sign the bill that would fix the state's
groundwater monitoring system

In May we asked you to contact Assembly Appropriations Committee chair
Carole Migden, urging her to help pass AB 599, the Groundwater Quality
Monitoring Act of 2001. Since then the bill has received bi-partisan
support and moved through both the Assembly and Senate. It now awaits
Governor Davis' signature, but the state's deteriorating fiscal health
casts uncertainty as to whether the governor will be willing to commit
funds for the bill's proposals.

Although half the state's population relies on groundwater sources for
its drinking water, studies have found numerous (and dangerous)
contamination problems with its groundwater supplies, and the current
system for monitoring these supplies is unreliable and ineffective. AB
599 would require the state to develop a comprehensive groundwater
monitoring system.

== What to do ==
Send a message to Governor Davis urging him to sign AB 599.

== For background ==
California's Contaminated Groundwater
http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/caground.asp

== Contact information ==
You can send a message to Governor Davis directly from NRDC's Earth
Action Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action. Or use the contact
information and sample letter below to send your own message, and
please include your own reasons why having a reliable system for
monitoring the state's groundwater contamination is important to you.

Governor Gray Davis
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:  916-445-2841
Fax:  916-445-4633
Email:  graydavis@governor.ca.gov

== Sample letter ==

Subject:  Sign AB 599

Dear Governor Davis,

I urge you to sign AB 599, the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of
2001. AB 599 is an extremely low-cost proposal that would dramatically
improve the state's ability to monitor and protect California's
groundwater resources.

Although California leads the nation in groundwater extraction
(groundwater accounts for 25-60 percent of the state's annual water
supply, including drinking water for half the population), no
statewide monitoring system presently exists. The current fragmented
and flawed system makes it impossible to ascertain the true nature and
extent of groundwater contamination.

AB 599 addresses this issue proactively, requiring the state to
develop a coordinated and comprehensive groundwater monitoring system.
Please sign this important bill without delay.

Sincerely,

[Your name and address]

==================================================
About Our Bulletins/How to Subscribe & Unsubscribe
==================================================

NRDC distributes three bulletins by email. To subscribe to any or all
of them or to join our activist networks, go to:
http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/subscribe.asp.

If you already subscribe and want to change your subscriptions or
update your email address or other information, go to:
http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/profileeditor
(or see the unsubscribe information below).

The CALIFORNIA ACTIVIST NETWORK ACTION ALERT is distributed monthly to
members of NRDC's California Activist Network and provides action
tools to Californians and others concerned with protecting the state's
natural resources and the health of its citizens. To unsubscribe from
the California Activist Network Action Alert, send an email message to
wildcalifornia@nrdcaction.org with REMOVE in the subject line.

EARTH ACTION is sent biweekly and calls out urgent environmental
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unsubscribe from Earth Action, send an email message to
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==========
About NRDC
==========

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a nonprofit environmental
organization with over 500,000 members nationwide and a staff of
scientists, attorneys and environmental experts. Our mission is to
protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and ensure a safe and
healthy environment for all living things.

For more information about NRDC or how to become a member of NRDC,
please contact us at:

Natural Resources Defense Council
40 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
212-727-4511 (voice) / 212-727-1773 (fax)
General email: nrdcinfo@nrdc.org
California Activist Network email: wildcalifornia@nrdc.org
http://www.nrdc.org

Also visit:
BioGems -- Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org

===========

August 31, 2001

Dear friends,

I hope your summer was wonderful and that you got a chance to
visit some of the magnificent places that you work so hard to protect.

Today, Congress returns to Washington DC to finish the business of the
107th Congress.  Over the next six weeks decisions will be made
affecting forests in the coming year and beyond.  Will the federal fire
money be spent on potentially damaging backcountry thinning or focus on
protecting lives and property in the Urban Wildands Interface? Will the
snowmobile ban in Yellowstone be lifted?  Will the recreation fee
demonstration project be extended four more years?

By now it is evident that President Bush is no friend to wildlife and
wild places. His unabashed allegiance is to big oil, big coal, big
timber and big mining interests. While no environmental issue is
escaping Bush's sites, forests in particular are fairing poorly under
Bush.  The landmark roadless area policy is being undermined, the
National Forest Management Act Regulations are being rewritten and Mark
Rey, former timber lobbyist is awaiting confirmation as Undersecretary
of Agriculture.

For the past eight years, the Clinton Administration has been the
primary focus of the environmental community's wildlands protection
efforts.  Now our focus must shift to Congress. For it is only Congress
that can stand up and stop the rollbacks of recent gains.   We must hold
our elected officials accountable, let them know that the public cares
about these issues and we are watching. Our first priority must be to
defend the gains we have made over the past few years.

But, while defense is critical, we also believe that the best defense is
a strong offense and it is important to lay the groundwork for a
proactive agenda for a time when there is a more favorable Congress
and/or Administration.  Certainly, a more favorable Congress could be as
close as eighteen months from now.

In doing so, wildlands activists can define the agenda and again set the
terms of the debate.  The public supports strong protection for
wildlands.  Now is the time to build on that support and define the
future vision that will secure permanent protection for wild places and
restore the land that has been so ravaged.

Raising grassroots voices in Washington D.C. where policy decisions are
made that affect local places has been American Lands' mission and role
in the forest protection movement for the past ten years; a role that is
as vital today as ever.   We are honored to be your partners. Let us
know how we can help you.
Best,

Randi Spivak
Executive Director
American Lands Alliance
Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
726 7th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org

Dear Members of Global Response's "Quick Response Network:"

A few months ago we celebrated Shell Oil Company's decision to withdraw from
an oil/gas exploration project in Pakistan's Kirthar National Park.  Global
Response letters to Shell surely influenced that landmark decision. (For
background, see: http://www.globalresponse.org/gra_index/gra0600.html)

Now, Save Kirthar organizers in Pakistan, Friends of the Earth, and OilWatch
are asking for a second round of emails, this time to Premier Oil, which is
still moving forward with explorations in Kirthar National Park.  Copied
below is the Action Alert, including a model letter and the email address
for Premier Oil.  Please take a few moments to email this letter, in our
continuing efforts to help Pakistan citizens save their precious Kirthar
National Park.

-Paula Palmer

> CORP_ACTION: PREMIER OIL PLANS TO PLUNDER PAKISTAN]
>
> * * * WHO ARE PREMIER OIL?
> When you log onto Premier Oil's website at http://www.premier-oil.com/
> the first thing they proudly tell you about their company is "We are
> different".  Well - that much is true. This is a British company that
> specialises in going into areas that even some other oil companies
> might think twice about operating in.
> Premier Oil have come into severe criticism for their operations in
> Burma notorious for its oppressive military regime, where their
> operations support the military government financially as well as giving
> it the big thumbs up morally.  Not content with their legacy in Burma,
> Premier are now again putting their own interests before people and
> wildlife with their plans for gas exploration in Kirthar National Park,
> Pakistan.  For further details on both of these cases, see the bottom of
> this message.
>
> * * * ACTION * * *
> Send an email to Charles Jamieson (CJamieson@premier-oil.com),
> the Chief Executive of Premier Oil to protest over the company's plans
> to explore for gas in Kirthar National Park, Pakistan.  Use the sample
> email below or write your own, using the information at the bottom of
> this email.
>
> * * * SAMPLE EMAIL:
>
> Dear Mr. Jamieson
>
> I am sorry to see that your company appears to have no respect for the
> social, political and natural environments in which it operates. I am
> disappointed that, given the ongoing criticism that Premier Oil has
> come under for its controversial operations in Burma, your company
> does not seem to be making any attempt to clean up its act.
>
> Please could you justify Premier Oil's plans to explore for gas in Kirthar
> National Park in Pakistan.  As I'm sure you are aware this protected
> area is home to many rare and endangered species, is essential for
> drinking water for 14 million people and Pakistani environment groups
> have united against the project.
>
> The relaxing of environmental laws by an undemocratic government
> has enabled your company to press ahead with its plans in Kirthar.
> Why does your company not percieve that this is a step backwards
> rather than a positive step towards sustainable development?  In the
> 21st century it is no longer acceptable for companies to pursue
> activities damaging to the environment and to communities, by doing so
> you are branding your company as a dodgy, dirty British corporation
> and flying the flag for corporate irresponsibility.
>
> Please could you give me an assurance that you will follow Shell's lead
> and pull out of the Kirthar project.  If you cannot do this, I will be
> contacting my bank and pension fund holder to request that they do not
> invest my money in your destructive company.
>
> Yours sincerely,
> -------------------------------------------------------------------

> * * * FURTHER INFO ON PREMIER OIL
>
> PREMIER IN PAKISTAN
> Kirthar National Park is one of Pakistan's largest protected areas,
> stretching over 3087 square kilometres of rugged mountain desert in
> the southern province of Sindh. It is home to numerous threatened
> species, such as the unique Sindh ibex (a mountain goat) and the Urial
> sheep, and to desert wolves, striped hyena, golden jackal,"Chinkara" (a
> type of gazelle), and no less than eight species of eagle. It is also
> considered essential for the water supply of the 14 million people in
> nearby Karachi. For more information, see www.savekirthar.org
>
> At the start of this year, Kirthar still enjoyed strict protection under
> Federal Pakistani and Provincial wildlife law which banned the
> "...clearing or breaking up of any land for cultivation, mining or for any
> other purpose" in the park.
>
> But, undeterred, Premier formed a joint venture with Shell  (Premier-
> Shell-Pakistan) to explore for gas in Kirthar. After all, under the
current
> military regime in Pakistan, laws can be amended by key Government
> officials without reference to Parliament. In this case, the two most
> relevant officials were well known to Premier - they had both served on
> the board of foreign owned oil companies prior to taking office.
>
> Friends of the Earth International was so shocked by this blatant
> attempt by Premier/Shell to wriggle out of its legal obligations, that we
> joined with Pakistani environment groups in a legal challenge against
> the company in the Karachi courts.
>
> Shell were quick to react. In May, just a week before its Annual General
> Meeting (at which FOE was planning to raise the issue), Shell
> dramatically pulled out of the Kirthar project.  But Premier Oil,
> seemingly immune to controversy, decided to go it alone.
>
> Since May, a series of amendments have dramatically weakened
> Pakistani wildlife law and - to no-one's surprise in Pakistan - Premier
> were recently given 'approval' for the gas exploration to go ahead.
>
> PREMIER OIL IN BURMA
> Premier Oil have come into severe criticism for their operations in
> Burma, where Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's pro-democracy leader and
> Nobel laureate has said:  "Premier Oil is not only supporting this
military
> government financially, it is also giving it moral support, and doing a
> great disservice to the cause of democracy. It should be ashamed of
> itself".
>
> The company has even come in for severe criticism from the UK
> Government. When he was Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook said: "I'm
> going to make it quite clear, we do not approve of what Premier are
> doing. They know that perfectly well - we would much rather they
> stopped and they know that perfectly well".
>
> And, Foreign Minister John Battle has called on Premier to pull out of
> Burma, saying: "I really expect Premier to do the decent thing without
> having to resort to legal pressure".
>
> For more information on Premier Oil in Burma, see The Burma
> Campaign's website at http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> If you receive responses to email actions, please forward them to
> corporate_action_response@foe.co.uk
> Your friends and colleagues can subscribe to corporate_action by
> sending and email to majordomo@foe.co.uk with subscribe
> corporate_action in the message body
> To unsubscribe from corporate_action, send a message to
> majordomo@foe.co.uk with unsubscribe corporate_action in the
> message body
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> SECRETARIA DE OILWATCH
> Casilla 17-15-246-C
> Quito - Ecuador
> Tel-Fax: (593 2) 547516 / 527583
> Tel: 593 9 82 56 37
> E-mail: oilwatch@uio.satnet.net
> Pagina Web: www.oilwatch.org.ec

REPORT FROM WASHINGTON
American Lands Alliance
Steve Holmer, Editor
Vol. 10, No. 2
September 4, 2001

I.    Roadless Area Comment Deadline Sept. 10
II.   Calls Needed on Interior Appropriations Bill
III.  Fee Demo Program Under Scrutiny
IV.   Bill Introduced to Halt Import of Canadian Old Growth
V.    Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Danger
VI.   Other American Lands Updates


I.  BUSH ROLLBACK PLAN PUTS ROADLESS AREAS AT RISK

To stop this attack on National Forest roadless areas there are a series
of actions that can make a huge difference at this critical time:

1. Please submit your comment if you haven't already to the Forest
Service and try to generate as many additional comments from friends,
family and supporters as possible.  See
http://www.americanlands.org/forestweb/new_roadless_comments.htm for a
comprehensive comment letter prepared by Brian Vincent, American Lands'
California Organizer.  Talking points to address the ten scoping
questions can be found at
http://www.americanlands.org/forestweb/10_talking_points.htm  

Comments should try to answer to the ten scoping questions and must be
sent to: USDA Forest Service-CAT, Attention: Roadless ANPR, P.O. Box
221090, Salt Lake City, Utah 84122, mailto:roadless_anpr@fs.fed.us

2. Include as much place specific information as possible in your
comments.  Chief Bosworth said that these kinds of comments will receive
additional weight by the agency.   Please consider including a list of
every single roadless area on your nearby National Forest along with a
brief description about the important values found in each one.

3.  Send copies of your comments to your Senators and to your
Representative.  It is essential we keep Congress fully involved in this
process.  Also please send a copy to American Lands to help in our
public education efforts on the Hill and with the media.  Comments can
be mailed to your Rep., U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
20515 or to your Senators, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510.

ROADS AND WILDFIRES REPORT  

On July 30, 2001 The Pacific Biodiversity Institute released its
comprehensive report titled Roads and Wildfires.  The report explains
the connection between increased roads in the National Forest system and
increased fire risk, and directly takes issue with claims that more
roads are needed to deal with fire threats.  The report focuses on
several case studies to illustrate the point that intensely managed
forests with high road density were completely ineffective in preventing
or controlling fire.  A copy of the report is retrievable at
http://www.pacificbio.org.


II. FIRE & RESTORATION ISSUES IN FY 2002 INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Before the Senate completed action on the Interior Appropriations bill
language was inserted into the bill directing that 60% of the hazardous
fuels budget must be spent in the urban wildlands interface.   The
requirement for the Forest Service to spend $125 million of the $209
million in hazardous fuels money in the urban wildland interface zone is
a positive step in the right direction for this controversial program
that is rapidly becoming mired in logging projects in pristine areas far
away from communities at risk from fire. This is comparable to a
requirement in last year's emergency fire appropriation that was mostly
ignored by the Forest Service.

While restricting 60% of projects to the urban wildland interface
doesn't begin to solve all of our problems with the fire program, it is
a significant reform that offers the Congress an opportunity to
encourage the agency to steer projects towards the interface zone.   We
urge the conferees to keep this language in the final Interior bill and
to add additional environmental safeguards to the program such as
restrictions on old growth logging.

HOUSE INTERIOR BILL INCLUDES LANGUAGE SUPPORTING FIRE PLANS

The House included language in the Interior report which accompanies the
Interior bill urging the Forest Service to complete fire plans for all
National Forests by 2004.   Fire plans are urgently needed to allow the
agency to more appropriately respond to wildfire and to stop knee-jerk
suppression actions.

Because this is just Report Language to the Interior bill, it does not
have the force of law.  We urge the conferees to accept this language,
and to elevate it to Bill Language so that it legally mandates the
Forest Service to have fire plans for all National Forests completed by
2004.


STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTING RIDER IN THE BILL

Unfortunately, the Senate bill includes language that would authorize an
additional 28 stewardship pilot projects.  These pilot projects allow
the Forest Service to give away National Forest trees to pay for
restoration and maintenance projects.  This is similar to the purchaser
road credit program that allowed the Forest Service to pay for road
construction with trees.  This program was eliminated several years ago
because it was subsidizing logging.  

The Forest Service already has 56 stewardship projects authorized by
Congress to test out "goods for services" and other ideas.  This is more
than adequate to provide enough information to fairly evaluate these new
authorities.  A number of the projects have already proven to be
complete failures because of the amount of logging that was proposed.   
This is a very harmful rider because if allowed to stand, it could
undermine the idea of forest restoration by tying future projects to
resource extraction.  
Http://www.americanlands.org/forestweb/stewards.htm has a copy of the
testimony that American Lands delivered to Congress on this topic.  Here
are some additional talking points.

1.  The Forest Service should not be allowed to give away National
Forest trees to pay for stewardship projects because it creates a
financial incentive for resource extraction which undermine ecological
restoration and good stewardship of the land.  We don't need another new
subsidy for logging.

2.  A number of the current pilot projects are massive timber sales that
are opposed by conservationists.  For example, the Clearwater Elk
Restoration project in Idaho proposes to log 173 million board feet.

3.  The Forest Service has not yet completed the first group of 28 pilot
projects.  Until these projects have been finished and completely
analyzed, no additional pilots should be authorized.

4.  Stewardship contracting also includes authority for the agency to
offer contracts on a "best value" basis that can target projects to
local communities and skilled restoration workers.  It is unfortunate to
see the potential positive elements found in stewardship contracting to
be undermined by the goods for services authority that encourages more
logging.

We urge the conferees to oppose the additional 28 projects and to drop
this section of the bill.  If that is not accepted, we propose allowing
the projects go forward without the "goods for services" authority which
creates the incentive for logging.

ALL REPS AND SENATORS CAN HELP

Your Representative or Senator can help by contacting the Interior
Conferees by writing a letter.   Here is a quick summary of the asks we
are making to the Interior Appropriations Conference Committee:

1.  Support the Senate Language requiring at least $125 million of the
hazardous fuel treatment funds be spent in the urban wildlands interface
to protect lives and property.

2. Oppose the Senate language authorizing 28 additional stewardship
pilots or at a minimum, drop the goods for services authority for these
projects.

3.  Support the House Report Language encouraging completion of fire
management plans for all National Forests by 2004 and support making
this bill language to make this provision mandatory.


MEXICAN WOLF THREATENED BY HOUSE RIDER

Rep. Joe Skeen (R-NM) has added a rider to the Interior Appropriations
bill to squash a new scientific study calling for much stronger
protection for Mexican wolves.  Skeen wants a new report completed, but
this time without any biologists being included.  When contacting your
Senators, please urge them to oppose this House rider and to support
managing Mexican wolves using the best available science.  For more
information see http://www.biologicaldiversity.org or call Michael
Robinson at 505/388-0360.

SENATE RIDER THREATENS WILDERNESS

The Senate has added a rider to the Interior Appropriations bill that
would grant a 50-year special use permit for a cabin in the
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness a one million-acre Wilderness in the
Custer National Forest on the northern border of Yellowstone National
Park. The cabin, which existed before the Wilderness was designated, was
donated to the Montana State University but has never been used for
educational purposes and is ill-suited to do so now.  When contacting
your Representative, please urge them to oppose this Senate rider.


III.  FEE DEMO EXTENSION NOT INCLUDED IN SENATE INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
BILL

The Senate Interior bill does not include any language extending the fee
demonstration program on National Forest and BLM lands.  The White
Mountain National Forest has also been excluded from the program.   The
House has passed language calling for a four year extension and lifting
the cap on the number of locations fees can be charged.  A four year
extension of the program essentially could make it permanent.

Please contact your Senators at 202/224-3121 and urge him/her to oppose
the four year extension of fee demo and to express this opposition in a
letter to the Interior Appropriations conferees.  You can also contact
the Senate Interior Appropriations conferees — Bennett (R-UT), Burns
(R-MT), Byrd (D- WV), chair, Campbell (R-CO), Cochran (R-MO), Domenici
(R- NM), Dorgan(D-ND), Feinstein(D- CA), Gregg (R-NH), Hollings (D-SC),
Leahy(D-VT), Murray(D-WA), Reid (D-NV), Stevens(R-AK).  We are looking
for a champion on the conference committee who would offer a change in
language to at least keep the limit on the number of sites and extend
the program for one more year instead of four.

Reasons to oppose fee demo include:

1) The General Accounting Office (GAO) is studying the administration,
management, revenue distribution from the Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program.  This report, requested by Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY), will be
ready in September.  It is premature to lock this program in for 4 more
years before the GAO report is available and can be fully reviewed by
all parties.

2) The Recreational Fee Demonstration Program has met with considerable
opposition from conservation and community groups across the nation --
over 200 organizations oppose the program to date.

3) A recent Forest Service Study indicates that the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program is having a "significant exclusionary impact" on
poor people who live near National Forests where the program is active,
and that they are staying away from these lands because of it.

4) The US is a rich country; we clearly have the money to fully fund
trails and trailhead maitainence as witnessed by the money that Congress
sets aside for extractive uses like logging and mining.  Having paid for
these lands through our taxes once already, should we have to pay again
to actually set foot on them too?

For more information, please contact Alix Davidson at (202) 547- 5974,
adavidson@americanlands.org


ARMED GUARDS THE TRAILHEAD

The Forest Service claims fee demo is a very popular program.  But just
to make sure, they have started using their already stretched law
enforcement personnel (who don't have time to stop ORV abuses)  just to
make sure by issuing lots of tickets and/or arresting those who don't
want to pay.  Please see a first-hand report of the agency's new heavy
handed approach from American Lands' watershed coordinator George Sexton
at http://www.alternativesmagazine.com/18/sexton.html


IV. DEFAZIO-NORWOOD BILL (HR 2181) TO REDUCE U.S. IMPORT OF CANADIAN OLD
GROWTH

Reps Peter Defazio (D-OR) and Charles Norwood (R-GA) have co-sponsored
the Softwood Lumber Fair Competition Act (H.R. 2181) to reduce the level
of Canadian lumber imports by about 15-20 percent, to mid-1990s levels.
The bill would be an important step in addressing the devastating
environmental and economic subsidies that Canada lavishes on its timber
industry. The destruction of Canada's forests as a result of clearcut
industrial logging is one of the Earth's most serious environmental
threats. Some of the planet's most extensive and diverse old growth
forests and native cultures are at stake.

The logging is being fueled by massive subsidies of Canadian timber
production in the form of below-market pricing under land tenure systems
that give logging companies long-term "concessions" on vast publicly
owned forest lands (94 percent of Canadian forests are government-owned
"crown lands"). A recent study found that the taxpayers of British
Columbia alone are subsidizing the forest industry to the tune of $3 to
$6 billion annually. The problem is compounded by non-existent,
unscientific and poorly enforced environmental protections in Canada,
and by heavy demand for cheap forest products by U.S. consumers.
Currently, Canadian forests supply more than one-third of the U.S.
lumber market.

The result of the subsidies is that Canada sells lumber at about 30
percent of its real market price, in essence engaging in "ecological
dumping" that puts lumber on world markets at far lower than its real
cost. The price is paid by transboundary species like the grizzly bear,
lynx, salmon, spotted owl, and marbled murrelet—and by thousands of U.S.
sawmill workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the United
States' uncompetitive position.

On April 1, 2001, the five-year-old U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber
Agreement (SLA) expired, lifting any limitations on the export of
duty-free lumber from Canada's old growth forests into the U.S. The
expiration of the agreement opened the door to a flood of yet more
subsidized lumber, but it also provides an opportunity to call attention
to U.S.-driven Canadian deforestation and push for substantive reform in
Canadian forest policies and practices.

Please contact your representative and ask them to (1) co-sponsor the
Softwood Lumber Fair Competition Act (H.R. 2181), and (2) to put
pressure on the Canadian government to take measures to promote
sustainable forestry, ecosystem health, and endangered species. You can
reach your representative through the Capitol Hill Switchboard: (202)
224-3121. To review an organizational sign-on letter regarding the bill,
call Chris Dillard at (360) 671-9950. For more information, contact the
Jason Tockman, Director of the International Trade Program, (740)
594-5441 or tockman@americanlands.org.


V. CASCADE-SISKIYOU NATIONAL MONUMENT IN DANGER

Last month the Jackson County Commissioners recommended to Interior
Secretary Gail Norton that the boundaries of the Cascade-Siskiyou
National Monument be reduced from 52,947 acres to only 16,580 acres of
BLM lands and that protections for the shrunken monument be weakened.  
The Commissioners ignored the 2:1 majority who spoke in favor of the
existing Monument during public hearings.

You can help by contacting Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) at 202/224-3753,
mailto:oregon@gsmith.senate.gov or fax 202/228-3997 and tell him: 1)
Don't reduce the boundaries of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument,
2) Don't change the proclamation language of the Monument and 3) DO
release the BLM's Draft Monument Management Plan ASAP.


VI.  SAGE GROUSE FEATURED IN SMITHSONIAN ARTICLE  

The June 2001 issue of Smithsonian magazine recently featured an
article, "Spotted Owl of the Desert," concerning the threatened sage
grouse.  Activists have been working for two years to affect better
management and restore large expanses of sagebrush habitat in the West
where this charismatic species lives.  Grazing, fire, and invasive
species were identified in the Smithsonian article as factors causing
habitat and species decline.  A summary of the article may be found at:
www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian/issues01/jun01/sage.html.  For more
information contact Mark Salvo, mark@sagegrouse.org.


CHANGES TO AMERICAN LANDS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

With Randi Spivak becoming Executive Director, Michael Kellett will
assume the presidency of the board, and Randall White will serve as vice
president.  Please feel free to call Michael or Randall with any
questions. You can contact Michael at 978.287.0320, email:
kellett@restore.org, or Randall at 800. 558.4209,
mailto:rfw2@earthlink.net.  You can reach Randi at 310.458.8869, email:
randispivak@earthlink.net

STAFFERS MOVING ON TO NEW ADVENTURES

Many thanks to Jim Jontz, Ivan Maluski, Patricia Hayes, Kim Marks and
Kristen Sykes who have all left American Lands in the past several
months.  Kristen worked on protecting Eastern Forests and as
mid-Atlantic organizer and has moved on to Friends of the Earth to work
on mining issues.  Ivan Maluski, NW organizer will be missed on the old
growth campaign as will Kim Marks who has been doing outstanding
organizing work with labor unions.  Patricia Hayes worked as our
business manager and accountant.

Contributions to support the work of American Lands Alliance are always
welcome.  Please send your tax- deductible contribution to the American
Lands Alliance, 726 7th Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20010.  Non-tax
deductible contributions to support our advocacy program can be made out
and sent to the American Lands Campaign (501c4) at the same address.   
Thanks for all your support.
Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
726 7th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org

SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT ACTION CENTER UPDATE
http://www.saveourenvironment.org

**************************************************
To send an official comment to the Forest Service, just reply to this email.
**************************************************

The Bush administration is attempting to undo the rule that protects
the last wild 30 percent of America's national forests.

The new Roadless Area Conservation Rule signed last January,
protecting 58 million acres of America's last remaining wild forest
areas, is strongly opposed by the Bush administration and the timber,
oil & gas industries. President Bush is determined to open our
national lands to these industries and other forms of development.
That's why he and his administration have initiated a fast-track
comment period designed to kill the rule, and ignore more than a
million people who took part in a 3-year public process to determine
the best future for our wild forests.

*********TAKE ACTION TODAY!***********

The deadline for your comments, September 10th, is fast approaching.

We've made it easy for you to take action, and to tell the Bush
administration, once and for all, that you want your forest wildlands
protected.

**************************************************
Simply reply to this email and we'll automatically email the
message below to the Forest Service to be counted as an official
comment.
**************************************************

Dear Forest Service Chief Bosworth:

I oppose any modification to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule as
published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001. The rule is
already a compromise; it protects 31 percent of our national forests
and leaves more than half open to logging, mining, and drilling. It
also contains all of the exceptions necessary to allow road building
and logging when needed to address concerns of wildfires and forest
health. I strongly oppose allowing forest-by-forest decisions on
whether to log, build roads in, or otherwise develop these pristine
areas.

I urge you to let the rule stand as it is written in the January
Record of Decision. The American public is counting on you to protect
our national forest roadless areas -- without loopholes, waivers, or
additional exemptions. I strongly support the protecting of these
pristine forests -- especially Alaska's Tongass Rainforest -- as do
more than 95 percent of the 1.6 million Americans who have already
commented on this policy.

Please consider these official comments.

Sincerely,

***************************************************

Thanks for using the SaveOurEnvironment.org Action Center
(http://www.saveourenvironment.org) and working together with the
nation's most influential environmental groups in the crucial battles
to protect our air and water, forests and oceans, climate,
wilderness, and wildlife.

Remember, you can increase the impact of your support by encouraging
your family and friends to visit the Action Center. Please use
the "Tell a Friend" feature which allows you to send an e-postcard
right from the site!