Urges the Bush Administration, Congress, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Interior to implement the President’s Healthy Forest Initiative and reduce the risks of catastrophic wildfires and restore forest health.
Resolution
WHEREAS, the record setting 2002 fire season was the worst in modern history affecting more than 5.9 million acres of public and private lands.
WHEREAS, hundreds of communities have been affected by these wildfires including people evacuated from their homes as well as having thousands of structures and forested acres destroyed.
WHEREAS, more people live in the forest and rangeland interface and it is becoming increasingly difficult to protect people and their homes.
WHEREAS, forest fuels have accumulated in unprecedented volume from the lack of sound scientific management
WHEREAS, lengthy, exhaustive, and expensive regulatory processes and lawsuits have delayed effective implementation of forest health improvement projects.
WHEREAS, the nation must develop and implement a long-term strategy for restoring and maintaining forest and rangeland health.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that members of the Oregon Logging Conference respectfully request US President George W. Bush, Honorable Members of the US House or Representatives and US Senate, the Secretary of Agriculture, and Secretary of Interior to reduce burdensome regulatory processes in order to ensure more timely decisions, greater efficiency, and better results in reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires by restoring forest health through commercial thinning and fuels management.