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May 05, 2004

Peterson Responds!

So, who wants to bet that Peterson is trying to help cover Veneman's butt on this? Oh, and in case Peterson doesn't understand - we didn't criticize the ecologists did we? No, the ecologists are questioning the Forest Service. Ooops.

For Immediate Release May 3, 2004

PETERSON RESPONDS TO ALLEGHENY DEFENSE PROJECT CRITICISM OF FOREST SERVICE OFFICIALS


Pleasantville, PA – U.S. Congressman John Peterson (R-PA/5) issued the following statement in response to criticism by the environmental activist group Allegheny Defense Project (ADP) regarding the U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to remove downed trees and restore the forest ecosystem in areas affected by the severe wind storms in the Allegheny National Forest last summer. Peterson serves as Vice-Chairman of the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.


“If the activists at the Allegheny Defense Project had any legitimate science or forestry background, they would know that salvage logging and other forest management techniques are used to improve the health and wildlife diversity of the national forest, and that these decisions are made by professional scientists and land managers at the Forest Service and not by the timber industry. And if the ADP activists had any legal training, they would realize that categorical exclusions were included in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act specifically to deal with situations like the blowdown in the Allegheny National Forest which contribute to the spread of disease, breed insect infestation and ultimately create a severe fire hazard.

“Contrary to the ADP propaganda, allowing millions of trees to rot on the ground is not good for the forest or for the environment. It is understandable that the ADP is struggling to find a new cause now that the courts have ruled in favor of sound forest management in the East Side decision. But accusing the dedicated scientists and staff at the Forest Service of illegal actions is the kind of silly publicity stunt that has earned them their reputation as radical extremists, as opposed to true conservationists.


“The Allegheny Defense Project serves neither the people and communities of the Allegheny National Forest region, nor the forest which they claim to want to protect, by making false allegations about the dedicated professionals who manage the forest. If the ADP really cares about protecting the national forest, they should be less confrontational and more constructive in any criticism they may have of the professional foresters, fish and wildlife biologists, ecologists, and other scientists at the Forest Service who have years of experience managing healthy forests.”

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Posted by jkleissler at May 5, 2004 03:43 PM

Comments

Question: how much per tree did/are the loggers supposed to pay and to whom?

Comment: Isn't this ripping off private land owners who may have economic renewable/sustainable lumber resources that they want to sell?
It looks like the campaign contributions to peterson http://capwiz.com/c-span/bio/fec/?id=504&cycle=2003-2004
are paying off.

Posted by: Tom Martin at May 12, 2004 08:50 AM

The Forest Service is fond of claiming that timber companies pay "market value" for the stumps but unlike when they are logging on private lands most of the engineering, forestry, road construction, and other preparation costs are covered by tax-payers. Unlike when they log their own lands they do not pay property taxes or other expenses such as "reforestation" costs. Instead they can take the trees and cut them into cants and make a killer profit.

Yes, this drives the price of private woodlot owner's timber substantially. When logging in the Allegheny ceased for six months in 1999 the value of black cherry doubled. Private landowners are seeing the prices driven down by the supply being pushed off of the national forest combined with the attached subsidies (which also include costs to repair impacts to the forest ecology - which isn't adequately done).

And yes, there has always been a close tie between Peterson's contributors and who he chooses to represent. Great catch!

Posted by: Jim Kleissler at May 12, 2004 09:32 AM

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