Bush fells the forests

Some extracts from:

From the New York Time: Administration Overhauls Rules for U.S. ForestsBy FELICITY BARRINGER Published: December 23, 2004

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 - The Bush administration issued broad new rules Wednesday overhauling the guidelines for managing the nation's 155 national forests and making it easier for regional forest managers to decide whether to allow logging, drilling or off-road vehicles.

The long-awaited rules relax longstanding provisions on environmental reviews and the protection of wildlife on 191 million acres of national forest and grasslands. They also cut back on requirements for public participation in forest planning decisions.

One of the ways the new rules give forest supervisors more power is that they are allowed to approve plans more quickly for any particular forest use - ranging from recreation to logging to grazing - and to adjust plans with less oversight.

For instance, an existing requirement to keep all fish and wildlife species from becoming threatened or endangered is jettisoned. In its place is a requirement that managers consider the best available science to protect all natural resources when they are making decisions.

Now the carnage will begin. The administration will now open the floodgates to let those who only care about their personal gain and corporate profits into these special areas we managed to protect thus far. Visit them soon. While you still can, while they are still tranquil and actually have trees, animal and bird life and you are not listening to chainsaws felling the last trees and dodging morons drag racing their ATV's across the remaining ruins of what was once a vestige of sanity and a safe haven for those who cannot speak for themselves; plants animals, birds amphibians, insects spiders and more.

Go quickly. Run and see it now. It will be gone soon!