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OREGON FORESTS AT RISK 

 FROM THE RESCISSIONS ACT LOGGING RIDER 



PubUc Law (104-19) 

 July 17, 1996 



Introduction 



Unless President Qinton and Congress act soon, the loss of some of 

 Oregon's most important old growth forests, fisheries, and watersheds will be a 

 part of the environmental legacy of the 104th Congress and the Clinton 

 Presidency. 



This report describes 108 environmentally damj^ng timber sales pending 

 in Oregon under the Rescissions Act Logging Rider (P.L. 104-19). Newspaper 

 colunvnist Jessica Mathews writes that the rider is "arguably the worst pubhc 

 lands legislation ever." Certainly, it is the worst environmental law passed by 

 the 104th Congress. 



President Clinton signed the Rescissions Act Timber Rider on July 27, 

 1995. Since that date, the most important environmental laws of our nation 

 have been suspended for timber sales on National Forests and BLM lands across 

 the country, including Oregon. The result has been a flood of green (live) tree 

 sales masquerading as 'salvage,' the logging of rare Andent Forests, and 

 numerous timber sales which violate basic environmental laws and threaten the 

 ecological health of Oregon's watersheds and fisheries. 



At the same time, the threat of clearcuttinj; the "last and best" of our 

 nation's Andent Forests has revitalized the commitment of dtizens to protecting 

 our forest legacy. The bill filed by Rep. Elizabeth Furse (HR 2745) to repeal the 

 rider has 148 cosponsors, more by far than any other environmental bill in the 

 Congress. An amendment by Rep. Furse to end rider funding was defeated in 

 the House by the narrowest of margins, 209-211. Citizens will continue to urge 

 the Members of Congress to restore our environmental laws, and fulfill their 

 responsibility to permanently protect our nation's Great Forests. 



It is encouraging, and also alarming, that most of the timber sales that 

 coxild occur under the 'logging without laws" Resdssions Act rider have not yet 

 been cut. There is still time to prevent the worst of the damage from the 

 Logging Rider. 



Oregon F orests At Risk 



Oregon still has much to lose as a result of the logging rider despite the 

 Mnth Circuit Court ruling protecting sales where the threatened marbled 

 murrelet is "known to be nesting,' and a recent directive from Agriculture 

 Secretary Dan Glickman concerning rider sales in roadless areas. 



