Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act (H.R. 4200)

FOREST EMERGENCY RECOVERY AND RESEARCH ACT (H.R. 4200)

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act (H.R. 4200). This legislation rolls back responsible forest management practices and threatens to undermine vital environmental protections.

Proponents of H.R. 4200 claim that the bill would ensure prompt implementation of recovery measures in Federal forests following weather events such as wildfires and hurricanes by expediting the evaluation of forest conditions and accelerating the recovery of downed and damaged timber. But in reality, the legislation aggressively auctions off public resources to private interests in the name of responsible stewardship. It goes too far in promoting the economic value of harvesting timber over the ecological benefits of preserving trees.

Proponents of H.R. 4200 use the words ``recovery'' and ``restoration'' to excuse logging practices that will slow the recovery of forests, streams and wildlife. Forest scientists from 169 universities across the country oppose this bill, arguing that no reliable evidence exists to support the assertion that fire-adapted forests might be improved by logging after a fire. These experts point to a series of studies that concluded just the opposite--that post-disturbance logging impedes the process of regeneration by compacting soils, spreading invasive species, causing erosion and degrading water quality.

Most outrageously, H.R. 4200 would degrade forest ecosystems by exempting ``salvage logging'' activities from the environmental protections guaranteed in the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. Through exemptions and waivers, H.R. 4200 offers a blank check to pollute waters and harm endangered wildlife.

H.R. 4200 is both unwise and unnecessary. The success of the timber salvage effort following Hurricane Katrina demonstrates that existing Federal laws do not prevent land managers from implementing timber recovery. Using their existing authority, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management quickly and effectively completed one of the largest timber salvage projects ever, recovering 676 million board feet of timber from the national forests in Mississippi impacted by the hurricane.

When properly managed, timber harvesting is a necessary and appropriate use of our Federal forests. But careful environmental stewardship of our forest resources is needed today to ensure that genuinely healthy forests--with all the benefits they offer--will be available to future generations. H.R. 4200 falls dangerously short of this standard.

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