[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 14, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8510-S8511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. TORRICELLI (for himself, Mr. Kerry, and Mr. Cleland):
  S. 1368. A bill to amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
Planning Act of 1974 and related laws to strengthen the protection of 
native biodiversity and ban clearcutting on Federal land, and to 
designate certain Federal land as ancient forests, roadless areas, 
watershed protection areas, special areas, and Federal boundary areas 
where logging and other intrusive activities are prohibited; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


                   the act to save america's forests

 Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, today, Senator Kerry and I are 
introducing the Act to Save America's Forests. When this country was 
founded over two hundred years ago, there were hundreds of millions of 
acres of virgin forest land across what is now the United States. 
Today, 95 percent of those original virgin forests have been cut down.
  Our Federal forests are unique and precious public assets. Large, 
unbroken forest watersheds provide high-quality water supplies for 
drinking, agriculture, industry, as well as habitat for recreational 
and commercial fisheries and other wildlife. The large scale 
destruction of natural forests threatens other industries such as 
tourism and fishing with job loss. As a legacy for the enjoyment, 
knowledge, and well-being of future generations, provisions must be 
made for the protection and perpetuation of America's forests.
  Clearcutting, even aged logging practices, and timber road 
construction have been the preferred management practices used on our 
Federal forests in recent years. These practices have caused widespread 
forest ecosystem fragmentation and degradation. The result is species 
extinction, soil erosion, flooding, declining water quality, 
diminishing commercial and sport fisheries, including salmon, and 
mudslides. Mudslides in Western forest regions during recent winter 
flooding have caused millions of dollars of environmental and property 
damage, and resulted in several deaths.
  An environmentally sustainable alternative to these practices is 
selection management: the selection system involves the removal of 
trees of different ages either singly or in small groups in order to 
preserve the biodiversity of the forest.
  Destructive forestry practices such as clearcutting on Federal lands 
was legalized by the passage of the National Forest Management Act of 
1976. From 1984 to 1991, an average of 243,000 acres were clearcut 
annually on Federal lands. During the same time period an average of 
only 33,000 acres were harvested using the protective selection 
management practices. Pro-clearcutting interpretations of forestry laws 
have also been used by Federal managers to promote even age logging and 
road construction. In addition, the laws are not effective in 
preserving our forests because in many cases judges do not allow 
citizens standing in court to ensure that the Forest Service or other 
agencies follow the environmental protections of the law.
  I am introducing this legislation to halt and reverse the effects of 
deforestation on Federal lands by ending the practice of clearcutting, 
while promoting environmentally compatible and economically sustainable 
selection management logging. It is important to note this legislation 
would only apply to Federal forests which are currently supplying less 
than 6 percent of America's timber consumption. According to a recent 
Congressional Research Service report we can reduce timber supply from 
the national forests and still meet our nation's timber needs. The vast 
majority of the 490 million acres of harvestable timber are privately 
owned and unaffected by the bill.
  This legislation puts forward positive alternatives that will achieve 
two principal policies for our Federal forests. First, the Act would 
ban logging and road-building in remaining core areas of biodiversity 
throughout the Federal forest system including roadless areas, 
specially designated areas and 13 million acres of Northwest Ancient 
Forests. Second, in non-core areas it would abolish environmentally 
destructive forms of logging such as clearcutting and even aged 
logging.
  The Act requires selection management logging practices to be used. 
Therefore, timber companies would only be allowed to log a certain 
percentage of the forests over specified periods of time. Further it 
takes extra

[[Page S8511]]

steps to protect watersheds and fisheries by prohibiting logging in 
buffer areas along streams, lakes, and wetlands. The Act would also 
call for an independent panel of scientists to develop a plan to 
restore and rejuvenate those forests and their ecosystems that are 
damaged from decades of these logging practices. And finally, the 
legislation would empower citizen involvement in insuring compliance 
with environmental protections of forest management laws by making 
certain that all citizens have standing to pursue actions in 
court.
 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I want to speak for a few minutes 
today in support of the Act to Save America's Forests. Over the past 
200 years, 95 percent of America's forests have been logged. The Act to 
Save America's Forests is an effort to save the remaining 5 percent of 
these original forests.
  The legislation is based on our best science and recognizes that we 
can preserve our national forests for future generations and still 
harvest the renewable resource of timber. It is supported by over 600 
scientists, who wrote to Congress that the act will ``give our nation's 
precious forest ecosystems the best chance for survival and recovery 
into the 21st century and beyond.''
  The truth is, this bill represents a prudent approach. It has been 
criticized by those who want to ban all logging on national lands and 
by those who feel that our current forest policy is too restrictive. I 
am optimistic that it will bring opposing sides together around common 
progress.
  The Act to Save America's Forests will protect some of the most 
treasured wild lands in America. Millions of Americans visit our 
national forests every year, generating more than $100 billion for 
local economies. In our forests, families hike, fish, boat, mountain 
climb, bird watch ad even dog sled. And, they act as watersheds and are 
home to rare species.
  In Oregon, our national forests have trees over 1,000 years old. The 
Sequoia National Forest in California is home to the world's oldest 
trees. These are true natural--and national--treasures.
  In New England, we have the Green Mountain and White Mountain 
National Forests. Only 100 miles from Boston, they are home to Mt. 
Washington, the Old Main of the Mountain and the Appalachian Trail. 
These are favorite spots for our citizens to back-pack, ski, canoe, 
kayak and witness the fall foliage.
  The remaining unbroken forests in the Green Mountain draw wildlife 
from great distances, such as migratory song birds from central and 
South America. The Lamb Brook, Glastenbury and Robert Frost Mountain 
forests, which are threatened with clearcut logging, are critical 
habitat for New England's black bear population, who needs these remote 
areas of solitude to breed and forage. The Act to Save America's 
Forests would permanently protect these forests and their biodiversity 
from logging or roadbuilding.
  Today, there are 490 million acres of harvestable timberlands in the 
United States. Only approximately 20 percent of this harvestable 
timberland, some 98 million acres, are owned by the Federal Government 
and would be impacted by the Act to Save America's Forests. The 
remaining 80 percent of the harvestable timberland is on private land, 
and would not be regulated by the Act to Save America's Forests.
  The major provisions of the Act to Save America's Forests will ban 
logging and road building of any kind in 13 million acres of ``core'' 
national forest. Core forests include ancient forest and biologically 
significant and roadless areas. Only environmentally compatible, 
sustainable logging would be permitted outside of the protected core 
forest areas. Clearcutting and even age logging would be banned on all 
federal lands. The Act will protect watersheds and fisheries by 
prohibiting logging within 300-foot buffer areas along streams and 
lakes. It directs the Federal agencies to protect and restore native 
biological diversity. Finally, it establishes a panel of scientists to 
provide guidance on Federal forest management.
  I want to thank Senator Torricelli for introducing this legislation 
and Representative Anna Eshoo for offering similar legislation in the 
House of Representatives. I strongly support this effort to balance our 
need to preserve and restore our national forests while allowing for 
the harvest of the renewable resource these forests provide.
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