Special Alert: Senator Wyden hopes you don't see this

11/26/2013

Senator Ron Wyden released proposed legislation today that will sacrifice Oregon forests and rivers and gut environmental laws, all in the name of bailing out certain rural counties.

Senator Wyden's plan would more than double logging on public forests known as O&C Lands, totalling at least 300 million board feet per year. That's 60,000 full log trucks!

Oregon’s forests need you to take action now!

Wyden is posturing like he’s making everybody happy, and even went so far as to claim this bill will ‘end the timber wars.’ However, by releasing his bill right before the holiday, it's pretty clear he wants it to fade into the background. He knows Oregonians will not be happy.

In order to increase the logging this much, Senator Wyden proposes to ramp-up clearcuts and weaken environmental laws.
 
What is at stake:
O&C Lands cover roughly 2.5 million acres of western Oregon forests, provide drinking water for 1.8 million Oregonians, and are home to endangered species including the spotted owl, marbled murrelet and many species of salmon.
 
Wyden's Oregon and California Land Grant Act of 2013 would:
  • Threaten over a million acres of O&C forest that together cover more land than all of the Mt. Hood National Forest
  • Reduce Endangered Species Act protections and "Survey and Manage" requirements for certain species
  • Unravel the Northwest Forest Plan- a current staple of forest protection that has provided the best framework to date for forest and species protections
  • Gut the National Environmental Policy Act – the law that creates a meaningful public engagement process for public lands
  • Reduce stream buffers designed to protect fish habitat and water quality

Pushing ecosystems to the brink of collapse will not bring lasting prosperity to rural Oregon counties. But it will do lasting harm to our forests and water.

Take action now:
There is still time before this backward legislation makes it to a vote. Contact Senators Wyden and Merkley now -- tell them Wyden's O&C legislation is a far cry from the long-term soution Oregon needs.

Learn more:
Check out more about this issue on our webpage, with information on the history of O&C Lands, background on Senator Wyden's plan, last month's rally at Wyden's Portland office, and more.

 

Tags: 
O&C Lands