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June 5, 2000
"Remember to vote early and often." --Anonymous Chicago Ward Leader
AMENDMENTS NEEDED TO FIX WEAK UTAH LANDS MANAGEMENT BILL
The Utah Congressional delegation is planning to bring an anti-wilderness bill, H.R. 3605, to the House floor this week. "The San Rafael Western Legacy District and National Conservation Act" seeks to circumvent wilderness protection by establishing a so-called "National Conservation Area" or "NCA", with relatively weak protection for some of the nation's most wild and stunning scenery. While the bill appears to take modest steps toward protecting wilderness-quality lands in the San Rafael Swell region of Utah, it falls far short of adequately addressing the threats to this spectacular wilderness.
Specifically, the bill fails to protect valuable wilderness-quality lands in Utah officially as Wilderness. Areas encompassed within the proposed NCA have been identified as wilderness quality by a citizen's inventory, and have been proposed for wilderness designation in H.R. 1732, "America's Redrock Wilderness Act." But H.R. 3605 rejects wilderness protection, offering instead a weak NCA designation that fails to provide the protection needed for this unique and threatened landscape.
In addition, H.R. 3605 would do nothing to curtail the most significant threat to wilderness in the San Rafael Swell region -- damage from the use of off-road vehicles ("ORVs). Wilderness designation would protect pristine areas from the abuse of ORVs, as could a legislative provision prohibiting their use in Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs). But H.R. 3605 offers neither of these protections.
Other problems with the legislation include its piecemeal approach to land protection (it doesn't include all of the wilderness-quality lands of the San Rafael Swell), as well as an authorization of $10 million for tourist promotion and development with minimal guidance for protecting the wildlands of the area.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Amendments to address these concerns are expected on the House floor. Please contact your Member of Congress right away and urge him or her to support amendments to H.R. 3605 that will protect the integrity of wilderness in Utah. Specifically, an amendment by Rep. Mark Udall is expected that will provide strong protection for all the lands identified as wilderness in H.R. 1732, "America's Redrock Wilderness Act." Please urge your Representative to support this and other strengthening amendments on the floor. Also, urge him or her to oppose the bill if the three concerns noted above are not adequately addressed.
"We're wrestling with golf courses nonstop nowadays," [Sierra Club's Mark] Massara said. "This is becoming such a menace. Virtually no natural habitat is improved by a golf course. And in some places now you have to ask, 'How many more golf courses do you really need?'"
From a front-page Washington Post article about golf course sprawl in Southern California, specifically Palm Springs.
Reports from the Field:
1. Northeast Wild Forest Hearings Report
2. North Carolina Million Acres Campaign
3. Washington and New Jersey EVEC Updates
1. Northeast Forest Hearings News
Northeast Field Staffer Baret Pinyoun reports on Wild Forest Hearings in New Hampshire and Vermont:
The first round of Wild Forest hearings in the Northeast was last week. Goals of attendees were exceeded and an impact was made!
The Sierra Club volunteers and staff worked with the Wilderness Society, American Lands Alliance, Appalachian Mountain Club, Conservation Action Project, Conservation Law Foundation, Forest Ecology Network, Forest Watch, Friends of Sandwich Range, Friends of Wild River, Green Mountain Club, Greater Laurentian Wildlands Project, National Audubon Society of NY, Native Forest Network, RESTORE: The North Woods, Vermont Audubon, and Vermont Natural Resources Council to get the word out through mailings and phonebanking, all over New England about the Wild Forest Hearings. The Sierra Club succeeded in outnumbering the opposition at all three hearings (Concord, NH, Gorham, NH, & Rutland, VT) by at least 4 to 1 - with possibly the most overwhelming ratio being in Concord, NH (approximately 65 people attended the hearing - 60 for our side, 5 for theirs).
The Forest Service waffles...
Good questions were posed on the whole and received partial answers from the Forest Service - any questions that did not directly relate to roadbuilding in the "inventoried roadless areas" was avoided in creative ways - for example, "if you have a question or comment about logging, it would be best saved for the comment hearing," or "of all the comments we received, the ban on roadbuilding was the most feasible thing we could do..." Not even touching the statistics and polls on how many people oppose logging, mining and ORV use in National Forests.
One interesting avoidance tactic occurred in Rutland, VT - instead of opening the hearing to a question and answer forum, so that the entire room could hear other people's questions, the Forest Service set up Q & A stations all over the hearing room, so that we could have one-on-one discussions with F.S. representatives. Some of us found this frustrating because we wanted to hear and learn from our colleagues in the room through their questions and the F.S. answers.
Editorial board visits were done along with "coalition partners" and as a result, received great editorials in at least 4 Northern New England papers and some great follow-up pieces in both Rutland and Concord papers.
The VT War Room...
One of the most fun and effective things done was in Rutland, VT. A room was rented next door to the Forest Service hearing where cookies, coffee, "Protect our Wild Forest" stickers, hats and placards were given out, showed the video and beautiful slides and had wonderful discussions with activists about the issues and about recruiting for the 2nd round of hearings. Thanks goes to Tom Elliott and Amy Curry, (VT Sierra Club) and Jim Northup (Forest Watch) for setting this up. The greatest part was that when the Forest Service found out about the additional room, they were upset that they hadn't thought of it first and inquired as to whether it would be available in June - but much to their dismay - we already have it rented for the 2nd hearing! We're way ahead of them...
2. NC Million Acres Campaign
For the last 11 months, North Carolina Governor Hunt has been proposing to preserve one million additional acres of farmland, open space and conservation lands. Sierra Club and a few other conservation organizations began meeting with DENR regarding this proposal in September 1999. Near the end of Jan. 2000, Hunt charged DENR with writing an official plan to implement his one million acres goal. On April 27, 2000, Hunt formally "rolled-out" his Million Acre Plan. (The full Plan and Executive Summary are available on DENR's website: https://www.enr.state.nc.us) A couple of the main pieces of the Governor's Plan are to:
* Send legislation to the General Assembly in May to make the million-acre goal a state law.
* Endorse Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight's plan to expand the state's Clean Water Management Trust Fund to $100 million over three years.
* Include in his budget to be submitted to the legislature, money to increase funding to the farmland preservation trust fund to at least $1 million, and money for a computer database of land-use maps.
On May 8, 2000, the short session of the General Assembly began. The Environmental Management Commission (EMC) approved the "Million Acres" draft bill and within days the finalized bill (HB 1633 and SB 1328; titled "Million Acres Open Space Goal") had dozens of sponsors from both the House and Senate. The "Million Acres" bill and a full list of sponsors is available at https://www.ncga.state.nc.us The primary sponsors in the House are Reps. Baddour, Wright, Gibson and Culp; in the Senate, the primary sponsor is Sen. Odom.
The Senate Ag/Environment/Nat. Resources committee heard the bill Tuesday, May 30, and voted it out favorably, unanimously. The bill will likely reach the Senate floor for a vote this week. As of 5/30/00, no schedule from the House was available.
The Governor's budget also included $1.2 million to fund farmland preservation as part of the Million Acre Plan. This funding appears to be in jeopardy as members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee begin their work on the budget. The House will probably release a revised budget by mid-June - the budget will then go to the Senate.
Not in the Governor's budget was any funding for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) - even though Gov. Hunt said he supports Sen. Basnight's plan to expand the Fund to a minimum of $100 million annually over the course of the next 3 years. The CWMTF was created by the Gen. Assembly in 1996 as a means to ensure clean water (often by protecting land). Since it's establishment, the CWMTF has awarded $179,000,000 to 198 grantees - mostly government entities and non-profit organizations. As legislated, the CWMTF has a minimum funding level of $30 million a year. This year, appropriations from the General Fund may be needed to meet the $30 million floor. As of 5/30/00, no funding for the CWMTF has been announced. The CWMTF is a major funding source for protecting conservation lands and in turn for achieving the Million Acres goal.
The three things that will help ensure the implementation of the Million Acres Plan are the (1) Million Acres Open Space Goal Bill, (2) the $1.2 million for Farmland Preservation, and (3) at least $30 million for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Each of these items are in varying degrees of trouble. It is CRITICAL that legislators start hearing from people in their districts. Contact Mary Kiesau NC Sierra Club at 919-833-8467 or mary.kiesau@sierraclub-nc.org for ways to become active.
3. WA and NJ EVEC Campaigns in action
The Washington state EVEC is proud to report that more than 2,000 vote charts were distributed in just three days. Kathleen Casey, WA EVEC Organizer, is grateful to all the volunteers who phonebanked and turned out for the vote chart distribution at Park & Rides. "Sunrise warriors" greeted commuters with a smile and a vote chart. The success of the efforts is already being seen; Kathleen is receiving the tear-off postcards back in the office.
New Jersey district 12 held an extremely successful spring outreach event at the Jersey Shore on Saturday, May 27. Sierra Club volunteers were joined with thousands of citizens and 19 other environmental and recreating groups and held a HUGE rally to protest the proposed ocean dumping of toxic dredged material that will take place just miles off the coast of our beautiful beaches. The Sierra Club set up two citizen action site tables,(one at Sea Bright Beach, the other at Monmouth Mall) and collected over 1,200 signed postcards to Rep. Rush Holt (thanking him for protecting NJ's waters) and nearly 500 signatures on an anti-ocean dumping petition. A total of 35 action site tables were set up stretching from Long Island, NY to Cape May, NJ. The days events also included a fleet of squadron planes which flew banners ("STOP OCEAN DUMPING TOXIC MUD") throughout the day, a parade, a "muc monster" mascot, and a flotilla banner supported by 30 surfers. CBS Evening News aired the story nationally!
"Rather than depict China as uniquely devious or evil, the hard questions ought to be directed at the design and operating principles of globalization." -- William Greider, from the June 5, 2000, issue of The Nation, on international trade rules and permanent normal trade relations with China
Contents:
TODAY'S FEATURED ACTION ITEM: Sierra Club Sprawl Campaign -- Protect Our Open Space, Farms and Watersheds From Sprawl
1) GLOBAL WARMING: Senate CAFE Vote Right Around the Corner
2) WILD FOREST CAMPAIGN: Hand Write a Letter and Attend Local Hearings
3) HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Write a Letter for the Release of Mexican Environmental Activists
4) END COMMERCIAL LOGGING CAMPAIGN: Help Stop the "Clearcuts For Kids" Bill
5) WILDLANDS CAMPAIGN: Utah San Rafael Swell Bill in Need of Repair
FEATURED ACTION ITEM: SPRAWL CAMPAIGN
Protect Our Open Space, Farms and Watersheds From Sprawl
From one coast to another, every American is feeling the consequences of sprawl. Sprawl, defined as scattered development that increases traffic, saps local resources and destroys open space, is taking a serious toll. Increased traffic congestion, decreased air quality, destruction of wetlands, declining urban centers, and higher local tax rates are just a few impacts of sprawl. Each year, sprawl destroys more than one million acres of parks, farms and open space. Every hour of every day, America loses 45.6 acres of its highest quality farmland to subdivisions, strip malls and roadways.
But runaway growth is not inevitable. Hundreds of urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods are choosing to manage sprawl with smart growth solutions. These solutions, including establishing urban growth boundaries, preserving farmland and green space, investing in alternative forms of transportation, and building compact pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, can help manage growth and control sprawl.
There are also solutions at the federal level. The Community Open Space Bond Act introduced by Senators Baucus (D-MT) and Hatch (R-UT) would give state, local and tribal governments up to $1.9 billion annually for five years in bonding authority to combat sprawl. The program allows states and local governments to carry out their own conservation priorities by using zero interest bonds to purchase open space, protect water quality, improve access to parks, and help communities redevelop abandoned industrial city centers. The program is voluntary, grassroots-driven and community-focused.
Write or call your Senator and tell him or her to help put the brakes on sprawl by cosponsoring S. 1558, the Community Open Space Bonds Act. The House companion bill is H.R. 2446, the Better America Bonds Act.
For more information and a sample letter go to https://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/sprawl/bonds.asp or contact Dirk Manskopf at 202.547.1141 or dirk.manskopf@sierraclub.org.
1) GLOBAL WARMING: Senate CAFE Vote Right Around the Corner
URGE YOUR SENATOR TO OPPOSE THE CAFE-FREEZE RIDER - vote expected in June.
Senators Gorton (R-WA), Bryan (D-NV) and Feinstein (D-CA) will once again be leading the charge for increased fuel economy standards. The Senate will be hearing the DOT funding bill in early June and we expect the vote to take place June 15.
The House ducked their opportunity to vote on this anti-environmental rider and now it is time for the Senate to take action.
PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY (Capitol Switchboard: 1-202-224-3121) and urge them to oppose the CAFE-freeze rider in the DOT funding bill and to support increased fuel economy standards. Raising fuel economy standards will save consumers money at the pump, reduce air pollution and is the biggest single step we can take to curb global warming.
2) WILD FOREST CAMPAIGN: Hand written letters to the U.S. Forest Service are needed Attend your local Forest Service hearing
We have heard from the U.S. Forest Service that hand written letters will be weighted more heavily than postcards when they are tallying comments on their recently released roadless area DEIS. Please localize your comment with a story of why your nearby roadless area is important to you, request that the Forest Service protects all roadless areas of 1,000 acres and greater -- including the Tongass NF in Alaska -- from ALL destructive activities, and send it to:
Chief Mike Dombeck, U.S. Forest Service c/o Sierra Club 408 C Street NE Washington, DC 20002
We will collect these and deliver them to the U.S. Forest Service.
Please attend your local Forest Service hearing to comment on the Forest Service roadless area policy. To find the closest hearing to your home, please visit our Sierra Club web site. https://www.sierraclub.org/wilderness/WildForest/Index.asp
3) HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: MEMORIAL DAY ACTIVISM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Urge Mexican Attorney General to Drop the Case Against Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera
Monday, June 5, 2000. That's the date when the public prosecutor in the case against Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera, two anti-logging environmentalists arrested and tortured last May, will submit his concluding arguments. Until that time, Mexico's Attorney General, Jorge Madrazo Cuellar, can advise the public prosecutor to drop all charges. After the concluding arguments are submitted, the case will be in the hands of the judge. Meanwhile, the director of the Iguala prison is forcing Rodolfo and Teodoro to sleep on the floor of the prison's shower room, and Rodolfo's health is worsening once again.
This week is a critical time for activism, not only because the trial is at a crucial stage, but also because the recent actions of the prison authorities. Please take a moment this Memorial Day weekend to write a letter to Attorney General Madrazo care of the Mexican Embassy in support of the immediate and unconditional release of these two environmentalists. If you have already written, please write again. Your efforts are making a difference, but we need to keep up the pressure.
Lic. Jorge Madrazo Cuellar Procurador General de la República c/o Alejandro Díaz de Leon Mexican Attorney General's Office Attache Embassy of Mexico 1911 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006
cc: Jesús F. Reyes-Heroles Ambassador of Mexico to the United States of America Embassy of Mexico 1911 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006
Text for a letter can be pulled from: www.sierraclub.org/human-rights/Mexico/letter.asp
4) END COMMERCIAL LOGGING CAMPAIGN: Help Stop the "Clearcuts For Kids" Bill
Almost a century ago, Congress passed a law requiring the U.S. Forest Service to turn over 25 percent of its logging revenues to rural counties to fund schools and roads. That outdated law creates a perverse incentive for affected communities to support high levels of logging. Although education funding is the excuse for supporting this program, many counties spend 75% of their payment on roads, not schools.
Unfortunately, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has teamed up with Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) to introduce a bill known as S. 1608, the so-called "Secure Rural Counties and Community Self-Determination Act," that would force an increase in logging incentives. This bill is not based on education needs but on past logging levels and actually takes funds away from many states in the country. The bill also forces counties to give as much as 20% of their "education funds" to logging projects.
The bill ignores the contributions of National Forests to recreation, wildlife, fishing and water quality. Nationally, recreation generates nearly $40 to the economy for every dollar generated by logging, and creates more than 30 times as many jobs. And increased logging destroys recreation opportunities. In addition, rural communities rely on National Forests for clean drinking water and logging can clog streams with silt and run-off. Communities should not have to sacrifice clean drinking water, jobs and wildlife habitat to fund their children's education.
** TAKE ACTION ** CALL YOUR SENATORS through the Capitol Hill switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to vote against S.1608. Tell them that schoolchildren should not be held hostage to an unsustainable logging program! Our children need good schools and a healthy environment. This bill could be voted on in the next few weeks.
5) WILDLANDS CAMPAIGN: Utah San Rafael Swell Bill in Need of Repair
Last week, the House Resources Committee adopted a bill that could actually increase the destruction of Utah wilderness by off-road vehicle use. H.R 3605, "The San Rafael Western Legacy District and National Conservation Act," seeks to circumvent wilderness protection in the spectacular San Rafael Swell region of Utah by establishing a so-called "National Conservation Area" ("NCA"). While the bill appears to take modest steps toward protecting wilderness-quality lands in the San Rafael Swell, it falls far short of adequately addressing the threats to this spectacular wilderness.
The bill has been passed out of the Committee and could go to the House floor in the coming weeks. During the week of May 29 through June 2, your Member of Congress will be home in the District. This is an excellent opportunity for you to voice your concerns. Call the district office and see if you can get an appointment to see your Representative. Urge him or her to support amendments on the floor to do the following:
- restrict ORV use in wild and roadless areas of the San Rafael Swell
- preserve the wilderness qualities of all the areas included in the Sierra Club-supported "America's Redrock Wilderness Act," H.R.1732, sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY).
Please urge your Member of Congress to support amendments to fix this bill, and to oppose the bill unless amendments to address the bill's flaws are adopted.
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