ATTACK ON THE TONGASS ? WE NEED YOUR HELP!

[Kolesar]

ATTACK ON THE TONGASS ? WE NEED YOUR HELP!
A vote on the Tongass could happen as early as this week.

Contact your Senators and urge them to VOTE TO REMOVE THE TONGASS
ANTI-JUDICIAL REVIEW LANGUAGE FROM THE INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

An amendment to remove the bad Tongass rider by Senator Stevens could
be offered and voted on as early as Thursday, September 18!

Let's call the offices (202-224-3121) and keep the fax machines busy in the
U.S. Senate! (A sample message is included below.) You can find your
Senators contact information at:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Or send a fax directly from the Alaska Rainforest Campaign website:
http://www.akrain.org/action/faxes/actionpage.asp


BACKGROUND:
The Tongass Anti-Judicial Review Rider (Section 333), inserted by Senator
Ted Stevens deep in the pages of a the Interior Appropriations bill (S.
1391), cripples the public's due process and slams the courthouse door on
citizens whose interests may be threatened by proposed logging projects in
the Tongass National Forest?our nation's largest public forest.

The rider makes it virtually impossible for citizens to challenge logging
projects by limiting to 30 days the time available to file lawsuits on more
than 73 Tongass logging projects.

While more than a dozen of these sales are currently covered by the
Roadless Area Conservation Rule, the Bush administration, despite
overwhelming public opposition, is expected to finalize an exemption
of the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule.

The rider also interferes with the independence of the federal judiciary by
limiting to 180 days the time the District Federal Court in Alaska has to
review and render a final decision on lawsuits regarding logging projects
on
the Tongass National Forest. This is clear interference with the
independence of the federal judiciary; the rider's time limits could force
the court to consider challenges to federal timber sales before hearing
other cases on its docket.

ACTION:
Ask Congress to make the Interior Appropriations Bill a clean bill without
language that would cut the American public out of their right to speak out
on behalf of America's rainforest! Here's a sample message for your calls
and a letter you can personalize in an email or fax.

SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE:

Hello, I'm a constituent from your state and I've just learned about a
backdoor attempt which threatens America's Rainforest and seeks to silence
the public's overwhelming support for the Tongass National Forest. I urge
you to vote in favor of removing the Tongass Anti-Judicial Review language
from the Interior Appropriations bill.


SAMPLE EMAIL OR FAX MESSAGE:

Dear Senator,

I'm a constituent from your state and I've just learned about a backdoor
attempt which threatens America's Rainforest and seeks to silence the
public's overwhelming support for the Tongass National Forest. I urge you
to
vote in favor of removing the Tongass Anti-Judicial lReview anguage from
the FY2004 Interior Appropriations bill (S. 1391).

The rider cripples the public's due process and slams the courthouse door
on
citizens whose interests may be threatened by proposed logging projects in
the Tongass National Forest?our nation's largest public forest. The rider
makes it virtually impossible for citizens to challenge logging projects by
limiting to 30 days the time available to file lawsuits on more than 73
Tongass logging projects including over a dozen sales where all or portions
of the sale area are currently covered by the Roadless Area Conservation
Rule. It also interferes with the independence of the federal judiciary by
limiting to 180 days the time the District Federal Court in Alaska has to
review and render a final decision on lawsuits regarding logging projects
on
the Tongass National Forest.

The rider sets a terrible precedent for other riders and bills that would
seek to limit judicial review for logging projects across the country. Even
though relatively few lawsuits ever get filed, it is the ability of private
citizens to do so in defense of their rights and interests that keeps the
federal government and the timber industry accountable.

I urge you to support of America's rainforest by voting to remove the
Tongass anti-judicial review language from the Interior Appropriations
bill.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

NAME and full address

***
For more information please contact Laurie Cooper, Alaska Coalition Forest
Outreach Director ([email protected]) or call [phone].

[bahrbearian]

1. I am sorry to say I helped rape the Tongass...

In 1974-78 I logged in the Tongass . What a beautiful place. I worked on the Last of the Donkey's. We moved our Donkey to places that no one could get to. Set up our 100' plus spar's and ripped away. Lot of Nam Vet's hidding in to woods those days. I will help save the Tongass!!!!!!!

[bahrbearian]

2. Then I helped Rape Mt Rainer National Park.

We Cut into the parks Boundary to take out some Prime Fir Pumpkins... of course it was a mistake by the survey crew... I am not proud of it.. but I enjoyed the life..

[bahrbearian]

4. Kick

Fuck Bush!!!!

[blm]

3. Will do SpikeTrees.

.