[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 62 (Thursday, May 18, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               FOREST EMERGENCY RECOVERY AND RESEARCH ACT

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 17, 2006

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4200) to 
     improve the ability of the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
     Secretary of the Interior to promptly implement recovery 
     treatments in response to catastrophic events affecting 
     Federal lands under their jurisdiction, including the removal 
     of dead and damaged trees and the implementation of 
     reforestation treatments, to support the recovery of non-
     Federal lands damaged by catastrophic events, to revitalize 
     Forest Service experimental forests, and for other purposes:

  Mr. SHAYS. Madam Chairman, protecting our environment is one of the 
most important jobs I have as a Congressman. Unfortunately, the 
legislation before us today would hurt, rather than protect, our 
forests by speeding up destructive logging projects in national forests 
impacted by natural disturbances.
  H.R. 4200 would limit critical environmental reviews and excludes the 
public from the decision making process. Basic protections for streams, 
critical wildlife habitat, old growth forests, roadless areas, fragile 
soils, and other essential natural resources would be removed under 
this legislation.
  Science suggests logging harms damaged forests and impedes their 
recovery, and can actually increase the likelihood and severity of 
future forest fires. A study by researchers at Oregon State University 
has shown allowing forests to recover naturally after a fire increases 
forest regeneration and decreases the risk of future fires.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation. Congress can and 
must do a better job protecting our environment. We simply will not 
have a world to live in if we continue our neglectful ways.

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