[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 17 (Thursday, February 24, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                          CLINTON FOREST PLAN

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, yesterday the Clinton administration 
announced the release of its revised forest management plan for the 
Pacific Northwest. This announcement marks the near culmination of a 
yearlong effort by the administration to resolve the protracted 
controversy in my region over forest ecosystem health.
  Last summer, when the plan was proposed, I came to the Senate floor 
to express my views on this issue. On several important points, my 
views have not changed. First, I believe all of us in the Northwest owe 
a debt of gratitude to this administration for investing an 
extraordinary amount of time and energy in resolving what is 
essentially a thorny regional conflict. Second, I want to express my 
strong feeling that this plan is not perfect; I am particularly 
concerned about its short-term economic implications. Third, I want to 
remind my colleagues, and the citizens of the Pacific Northwest, how 
little progress was made on this issue since the spotted owl was added 
to the Threatened/Endangered Species List in 1989.
  Inevitably, with issues as divisive as Northwest forest management, 
the path to reconciliation is difficult, and compromise can by sour. We 
spent 5 years in gridlock as consensus eluded Congress and an 
unconcerned administration allowed the crisis to fester. During this 
time, very little timber was sold, uncertainy dominated the debate, and 
fingers were pointed in every direction. Absent any compromise, the 
courts dictated forest policy, and the region suffered.
  Yesterday's announcement reaffirmed what the Clinton forest plan 
represents: the best attempt yet to balance competing needs and make 
the law work. It is an honest effort to bring forest management out of 
the courts and put it back into the hands of the Forest Service, the 
Bureau of Land Management, and the Fish & Wildlife Service.
  The policy underpinning this plan is one with which I agree: our land 
management should be ecologically sound; it should emphasize the 
highest legal integrity; and, in the best sense of the words multiple-
use, it should ensure a long-term, sustainable timber supply for 
businesses and communities.
  The revised plan, issued yesterday in the form of a final 
environmental impact statement, has been pronounced legally sound by 
several of the President's key advisors. I certainly hope this is the 
case, and look forward to the plan's progress beyond the appellate 
court.
  Now, I am aware that parties are lining up on all sides and preparing 
their lawsuits. Some lawsuits have already been filed. It is clear that 
many people on all sides of this issue are dissatisfied with the nature 
of this compromise. But I would caution all of them against hasty 
action.
  Let me be very clear about this: Our region suffered because of legal 
and political gridlock. A return to conflict will not help heal our 
wounds. Given the extraordinary effort dedicated to producing this 
plan, I hope everyone involved with the issue will give it a chance to 
work.
  Equally important now is the need for the Federal agencies involved 
to work together to implement this plan. In the past, we saw agencies 
at odds with one another, working actively to disrupt each other. The 
Pacific Northwest cannot tolerate such behavior in the future. I am 
impressed by what I've heard from the agencies to date, but the proof 
will be in seeing results.
  Mr. President, the road ahead will be tough. In the words of 
Assistant Secretary of the Interior George Frampton, ``We inherited a 
train wreck. This plan puts the train back on track.'' It will take a 
while for this train to get up to speed; but if we all give it a 
chance, it might reach the station intact. Thank you.

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