Progressive Democrat Issue 69: NATIONAL ACTION
STOP BUSH'S PLAN TO SELL OFF OUR NATIONAL FORESTS
Paul Richards, Democratic candidate for Senate in Montana and courageous lifelong advocate for the environment, is leading the fight to stop the reckless decimation of our national forests. Please read Paul's personal message to you below, and join him in being a champion for our forest heritage by submitting this action page.
ACTION PAGE: http://www.richards2006.us/petitions/pnum226.php
After six years of undermining protections for public lands and forests, President Bush's FY 2007 budget proposes to sell more than a quarter of a million acres of public lands. This is another example of the Bush administration's loyalty to the logging, oil and gas industries. According to the New York Times, the Department of Interior's budget documents show that they plan to allow companies to pump about billion in oil and natural gas without paying royalties.
A total of 304,370 acres of national forests across the country would be up for auction under the President's proposal; including over 12,000 acres in Montana (my home state), 75,000 acres in California, 25,000 acres in Idaho, 21,000 acres in Colorado and 21,000 acres in Missouri, 17,000 in Wyoming and 15,000 in South Dakota. Many of the lands up for sale provide important wildlife habitat, clean drinking water and air, and a natural legacy for future generations.
ACTION PAGE: http://www.richards2006.us/petitions/pnum226.php
We only have until March 30 to get our comments into the National Forest Service. Please join me in telling the Forest Service not to sell off our public lands to environmentally hostile corporations and condo developers!
Please take a moment and let the Forest Service know that you oppose selling national forestland. Comments on the proposed land sale must be received by March 30. The action page above will automatically send your personal message by email. Written comments may be sent to: USDA Forest Service, SRS Comments, Lands 4S, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop 1124, Washington, DC, 20250-0003. Send faxed comments to (202) 205-1604.
SAMPLE LETTER TO FOREST SERVICE
USDA Forest Service
SRS Comments, Lands 4S
1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop 1124
Washington, DC, 20250-0003
Dear Forest Service,
I am writing you to oppose any sale of national forests or BLM land to fund the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination (SRS) Program. The proposed auction of more than a quarter of a million acres of public forests around the country would do irreparable harm to our national forest system. The lands, which would be lost forever provide important wildlife habitat, clean drinking water and air, and a natural legacy. As wealthiest nation in the world, we can afford to preserve our public lands and pay for our children's education.
Education and our national forest heritage are investments for future generations. It is irresponsible to ask us to choose between these essential responsibilities of our government. This one-time sale of valuable national forests would permanently harm the national forest system and could only temporarily fund the Secure Rural Schools program; it's not a solution to the problem of under-funded rural education. Our children and rural communities deserve a dependable source of income for education that does not rely on the reckless pawning of public lands.
When Teddy Roosevelt and other Administrations during the last century created the 193-million-acre National Forest System, they intended for these lands to be preserved forever as a public trust and managed for the good of all Americans. The proposed auction of hundreds of thousands of acres without an equal or greater increase in protected acreage is a direct assault on the idea of a dedicated National Forest system.
Don't ask Americans which national forests you should sell; it's a disservice for the Forest Service to even consider the idea. This proposal is in direct opposition to your agency's mission and reason for existence. Financial challenges always cause us to reassess our priorities. Selling our natural forest heritage to pay for other government programs is unacceptable.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Address
Paul Richards, Democratic candidate for Senate in Montana and courageous lifelong advocate for the environment, is leading the fight to stop the reckless decimation of our national forests. Please read Paul's personal message to you below, and join him in being a champion for our forest heritage by submitting this action page.
ACTION PAGE: http://www.richards2006.us/petitions/pnum226.php
After six years of undermining protections for public lands and forests, President Bush's FY 2007 budget proposes to sell more than a quarter of a million acres of public lands. This is another example of the Bush administration's loyalty to the logging, oil and gas industries. According to the New York Times, the Department of Interior's budget documents show that they plan to allow companies to pump about billion in oil and natural gas without paying royalties.
A total of 304,370 acres of national forests across the country would be up for auction under the President's proposal; including over 12,000 acres in Montana (my home state), 75,000 acres in California, 25,000 acres in Idaho, 21,000 acres in Colorado and 21,000 acres in Missouri, 17,000 in Wyoming and 15,000 in South Dakota. Many of the lands up for sale provide important wildlife habitat, clean drinking water and air, and a natural legacy for future generations.
ACTION PAGE: http://www.richards2006.us/petitions/pnum226.php
We only have until March 30 to get our comments into the National Forest Service. Please join me in telling the Forest Service not to sell off our public lands to environmentally hostile corporations and condo developers!
Please take a moment and let the Forest Service know that you oppose selling national forestland. Comments on the proposed land sale must be received by March 30. The action page above will automatically send your personal message by email. Written comments may be sent to: USDA Forest Service, SRS Comments, Lands 4S, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop 1124, Washington, DC, 20250-0003. Send faxed comments to (202) 205-1604.
SAMPLE LETTER TO FOREST SERVICE
USDA Forest Service
SRS Comments, Lands 4S
1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop 1124
Washington, DC, 20250-0003
Dear Forest Service,
I am writing you to oppose any sale of national forests or BLM land to fund the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination (SRS) Program. The proposed auction of more than a quarter of a million acres of public forests around the country would do irreparable harm to our national forest system. The lands, which would be lost forever provide important wildlife habitat, clean drinking water and air, and a natural legacy. As wealthiest nation in the world, we can afford to preserve our public lands and pay for our children's education.
Education and our national forest heritage are investments for future generations. It is irresponsible to ask us to choose between these essential responsibilities of our government. This one-time sale of valuable national forests would permanently harm the national forest system and could only temporarily fund the Secure Rural Schools program; it's not a solution to the problem of under-funded rural education. Our children and rural communities deserve a dependable source of income for education that does not rely on the reckless pawning of public lands.
When Teddy Roosevelt and other Administrations during the last century created the 193-million-acre National Forest System, they intended for these lands to be preserved forever as a public trust and managed for the good of all Americans. The proposed auction of hundreds of thousands of acres without an equal or greater increase in protected acreage is a direct assault on the idea of a dedicated National Forest system.
Don't ask Americans which national forests you should sell; it's a disservice for the Forest Service to even consider the idea. This proposal is in direct opposition to your agency's mission and reason for existence. Financial challenges always cause us to reassess our priorities. Selling our natural forest heritage to pay for other government programs is unacceptable.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Address
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