[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 145 (Monday, September 18, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1797]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE SOCIAL COST OF ADMINISTRATION POLICIES

                                 ______


                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 18, 1995

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to read into the Record two 
letters I received when I was in my district over the recess. Both 
letters touch upon how the policies being pursued by the Clinton 
administration are causing damage to the forests of northern California 
and inflicting pain and suffering on the residents of the region.
  The first letter is from Michael and Sharlene Reed of Sonora. The 
letter reads:

       Representative Doolittle: Due to the Forest Service 
     interpretation of the Taylor Amendment and President 
     Clinton's lack of concern for the working people we are 
     recently unemployed. Our local plywood and sawmill operation 
     has been closed. The Stanislaus National Forest will have no 
     noticeable increase in timber sales in the foreseeable 
     future.
       My family has been in Tuolumne County for more than 100 
     years, in the cattle and timber fields. We care about the 
     future of our county, our state and our nation. For now our 
     future is unknown, and we may have to leave the place that 
     has been our home for such a long time. There are no other 
     job opportunities available in this area. We may also lose 
     our home because there is little real estate market at this 
     time. Clinton's ``job retraining'' would only work if there 
     were jobs to be trained for.
       While our future is uncertain, we hope your future as our 
     Representative is secure. We will help any way we can.
           Sincerely,
                                        Michael and Sharlene Reed,
                                               Sonora, California.

  The second letter I would like to share was sent to the California 
Spotted Owl Team in Sacramento by Pat Kaunert. Mr. Kaunert, who is also 
a resident of Sonora, gave me a copy of the letter at a recent townhall 
meeting.
  His letter reads:

            Comments on California Spotted Owl Drafted Plan

       The following comments on the Draft California Owl Plan 
     represent my personal opinion only, and are not intended to 
     represent any other persons or agency.
       I have reviewed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
     for Management of the California Spotted Owl, a document 
     which clearly states that ``The California spotted owl 
     appears to be abundant and well-distributed within the 
     forests on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada.'' This tells 
     me that the owls are currently living in paradise--not 
     endangered, not threatened, and not all that sensitive. I'm 
     not all that sensitive. I'm not worried about the owls. This 
     document tells me they're doing just fine for now.
       However, I am deeply concerned about the existence of 
     several other species that remain unprotected by this plan--
     the American logger, the American rancher, the professional 
     forester, the wildland firefighter, local forest families, 
     and the critical rural habitat in which they all live and 
     work. Together, they comprise an essential component of the 
     forest ecosystem, and contribute to the strength of our 
     nation. They are the human critters that they have the 
     experience, training, and commitment to sustain the overall 
     health and productivity of the forest.
       Without immediate intervention it is likely they will go 
     into dramatic decline, and possible extinction. Therefore, I 
     recommend the following prescription as good medicine for 
     these endangered human species, as well as for the western 
     slope of the Sierras and its abundant wildlife:
       Scrap the ``cookie-cutter'', one-size-fits-all'' approach 
     to managing forest vegetation. Return to individual Forest 
     Plans that can provide a custom tailored fit to the specific 
     local needs of rural communities, individual landscapes, and 
     sustainable forests.
       Depart from past harvest schedules to commence an 
     aggressive increase in the volume of forest tree-thinning. 
     This will reduce the growing catastrophic fire hazard in 
     dense, choked, and over crowed timber stands. Cut some bigger 
     trees to make way for the younger ones.
       Step-up the reforestation effort on wildfire-burned forest 
     land. This will reduce the brush field fire hazard, provide 
     future jobs for rural communities, grow green forests in 
     which Americans love to recreate, and provide habitat 
     opportunities for a wider range of wildlife.
       Continue the good work of introducing controlled, cool fire 
     back into the landscape to maintain thinned stands of trees 
     and improve browse for wildlife. Combine this work with tree 
     thinning over entire landscapes as needed to get out front on 
     the California fire problem.
       Forests on the west slope of the Sierras are burning down 
     faster than we can sustain them, resulting in big black clear 
     cuts. Spotted owl nesting sites are torching off faster than 
     the forest can grow them, and the owls are pretty mad about 
     it. Let's protect the jobs of the people who can protect the 
     owls.

  Mr. Speaker, whether the issue is the California Spotted Owl or the 
timber salvage amendment passed in the 1995 recissions bill, the 
Clinton administration continues to ignore the human and social costs 
of its policies. We are witnessing the devastation of entire 
communities in the northwestern United States as a result of the 
President's efforts to placate extremists in the environmental 
movement.
  These letters, Mr. Speaker, are representative of the thinking of the 
great majority of my constituents. They are beginning to speak out more 
forcefully against the current administration's destructive 
environmental policies and I have assured them that their voices will 
be heard in Washington. I am glad to share these two letters with my 
colleagues by including them in today's Record.

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