OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Representative DeGette Responds to Forest Service Public Comment Period Extension

Date: March 29, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: K-12 Education Housing and Property


Representative DeGette Responds to Forest Service Public Comment Period Extension

WASHINGTON, DC - {U.S. Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) released the following statement in response to the Bush Administration's announcement of a thirty day extension to the comment period on their proposal to sell up to 300,000 acres of public land.

"President Bush has a scheme to sell off vast amounts of our national forests and use that money to fund rural schools. To that I simply say 'No Sale.'

"Selling off several hundred thousand acres of public lands for a one-time deal to fund rural schools is an incredibly short sighted policy. In five years the money will run out, our schools will still require funding, and America would have lost a part of our natural heritage forever. Our rural schools deserve a consistent funding source that doesn't require us to sacrifice our public lands.

"In Colorado we could lose irreplaceable natural treasures including huge parts of Roosevelt National Forest and Pawnee National Grassland. These places are too special to be sold off.

"Time and time again the American public has spoken out in favor of forest protection and thirty more days will not change that."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/co01_degette/forestsale.html

arrow_upward