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Action Needed for our National Forests
Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives delivered a
stunning bipartisan victory for Alaska’s Tongass National Forest.
The House voted to stop taxpayer money from being wasted on
construction of new logging roads in the forest. But that victory
must now be sustained in the U.S. Senate! Senator John McCain
(R-Arizona) is leading the charge on this with an amendment he looks
to add to an annual Interior Department spending bill.
As you know, the Tongass provides habitat for the highest density
Bald Eagle population in the world. It also supports populations of
black and grizzly bears, wolves, wolverines, deer, mountain goats,
goshawks, marbled murrelets, other forest birds and healthy
populations of all five species of anadromous salmon. New logging
and road building in the remaining roadless areas of the Tongass
jeopardize these populations, and irreversibly compromise the
ecosystem integrity of our largest national forest.
In 2003 – and despite and outpouring of opposition from Americans
across the country -- the Administration agreed to allow logging and
road building in some of the remaining roadless areas of the
Tongass. And now they want America’s taxpayers to foot the bill.
Passage of the McCain Tongass Subsidy Amendment will prevent this
from happening.
According to numerous reports and studies, logging and road building
on the Tongass occurs at an economic deficit. U.S. Forest Service’s
(USFS) road building and low stumpage fees have amounted to huge
subsidies for the timber industry. Since 1982, American taxpayers
have spent nearly a billion subsidizing logging America's
rainforest. There is simply no need for America’s taxpayers to foot
the bill. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Tongass
Subsidy Amendment 225-205 earlier this year, and with your help, the
U.S. Senate will do so as well! Refer to the enclosed letter to
communicate with your U.S. Senators on this issue today, or visit
our website at
http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/summary.asp?subject=350&flow=2.
Last Chance for Roadless Comments
We still need your help in maintaining protections for
our unspoiled national forest lands by urging the USFS to maintain
the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The comment period closes on
November 15, so if you haven’t done so already, please copy this
link to your web browser for more information and to send your
message to the USFS today, or refer to your September issue of the
Armchair Activist at
http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/summary.asp?subject=336.
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Your Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Date
The Honorable SENATOR NAME HERE
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator LAST NAME HERE:
As a constituent concerned with conservation, I join the National
Audubon Society in urging you to support an amendment to the
Interior Appropriations bill that seeks to protect Alaska’s Tongass
National Forest.
Senator John McCain will offer the “Tongass Subsidy Amendment” which
is necessary to ensure that taxpayers will not subsidize the
construction of new logging roads on the Tongass National Forest.
America’s taxpayers deserve better and so does America’s rainforest.
If the President and Congress are serious about cutting government
waste, the subsidy to the timber industry in Alaska is a good place
to start.
It is obvious that the Forest Service’s top priority is propping up
Big Timber. In a single year, $35 million tax dollars were lost
logging the Tongass. Since 1982, American taxpayers have spent
nearly a billion subsidizing logging America's rainforest.
Please support Senator McCain’s Tongass Subsidy Amendment when it
comes before the Senate floor for a vote. Thank you for your time
and attention.
Sincerely,
Your Name Here
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