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Will the Rider be repealed?
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TAXPAYER ASSETS PROJECT - NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY ADVISORY
(please distribute freely)
TAP-RESOURCES
September 25, 1996
This post was prepared for TAP distribution by the
Environmental Resources Information Network. Thanks
to Ned Daly for his assistance. -Arthur Clark,
ERIN Project Coordinator
INTRODUCTION
With the federal fiscal year winding to a close, attention
has once again focused on the Congress. Major parts of the federal
budget remain unfinished. With Congress set to adjourn by Saturday,
negotiations to find agreement on spending and other matters between
the House, Senate, and White House are entering the "make or break"
stage.
Reports have surfaced that repeal or defunding of the
Emergency Salvage Timber Sale Program, instituted by the infamous
"lawless logging" rider, is on the president's list of demands
regarding the budget negotiations. Will the rider be repealed? Who
is working for repeal? What are they doing to promote repeal? In
a series of short telephone interviews, I asked these and other
questions of spokespersons for a few of the players involved in the
ongoing war over the salvage rider. Below are some of the their
responses. (Most are not direct quotes.)
Forest protection advocates have alleged massive abuse of
the ESTSP. Substantiated charges of harvesting perfectly healthy
timber under the guise of salvage logging have been levelled at
the Forest Service on an almost daily basis. Other common
allegations have included use of the rider to log on steep,
unstable slopes (causing massive erosion and waterway
sedimentation), logging in riparian reserves, unnecessary entry
into inventoried roadless areas, and numerous other activities
that would normally be illegal.
- Chris Holmes, Spokesman for Jack Ward Thomas, Chief of the
USDA Forest Service
Q: Is the Chief actively working for repeal of the rider?
A: No. What the Chief is doing is making sure that all
environmental laws are followed and that the public has
the opportunity to comment on rider sales "within the
time constraints we have." The Chief is also reviewing
individual sales to see that they are being properly
prepared and implemented.
Q: What does the Chief believe are the chances of the rider
being repealed before Congress adjourns?
A: "Zero." It expires in three months anyway.
- Jack Cox, Press Secretary for Representative Charles Taylor
(R-NC), sponsor of the ESTSP rider in the House
Q: I assume that the Congressman remains opposed to repeal of
the rider?
A: Yes. Several votes have already occurred attempting to repeal
or block funding for the rider. The Congressman has spoken in
opposition to these measures and they have failed.
Q: What does the Congressman believe are the chances of the rider
being repealed before Congress adjourns?
A: "Slim to none." The leadership has to allow it to come up for
a vote.
- Elise Jones, staff person for Representative Elizabeth Furse
(D-OR), sponsor of previous attempts to end the ESTSP
Q: Representative Furse recently sent a letter to the President and
House leadership calling for repeal of the rider. She asked that
her colleagues join her in signing this letter. How successful
was this effort?
A: One-hundred and five House members signed the letters. It was a
bi-partisan group including more than a dozen Republicans. Among
the Republicans were Rep. John Kasich, Chairman of the Budget
Committee, Rep. Gilman, Chairman of the International Relations
Committee, Rep. Leach, Chairman of the Banking Committee, and Rep.
Sherwood Boehlert, Co-Chairman of the Republican Environmental
Taskforce. It was a solid show of support for rider repeal.
Q: What does the Representative believe are the chances of the rider
being repealed before Congress adjourns?
A: "We remain optimistic that the rider can be repealed." All those
who wish to see it repealed should act now. The decisions that
will determine whether a repeal measure is voted on and passed will
be made in the next 24 hours.
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