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Cobb: Trashing Public Resources for Private Profit is Despicable. |
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COBB/LaMARCHE 2004 September 23, 2004 Contact: Blair Bobier, Media Director at 541.929.5755 or 414.364.1596 COBB: TRASHING PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR PRIVATE PROFITS IS DESPICABLE Green Presidential Candidate Says We Must Protect Forests and the Democratic Process Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb today called for an end to commercial logging on national forests and strongly denounced efforts to shut the public out of participating in the oversight of our public lands. Cobb will tour a clear-cut forest in Massachusetts tomorrow, September 24, as part of his "Green Tour." The Green Tour is focusing on environmental problems, such as clear-cutting, as well as innovative solutions to the environmental crises we face. Last week, Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith proposed legislation which would end legal challenges to the logging of old growth forest reserves burned in the "Biscuit" fire in southern Oregon two summers ago. The area proposed for logging would be the largest in recent U.S. history. "If there is anything more despicable than trashing precious public resources for private profits, it is denying the public an opportunity to participate in the democratic process," said Cobb. Senator Smith is proposing a legislative "rider," a measure tacked on to unrelated "must pass" legislation, which would end all appeals and lawsuits related to logging. "The public has a right to participate in every aspect of forest management and protection. More than 60 million Americans depend on our public forests as a source of municipal drinking water and many depend on them for their livelihoods, too," said Cobb. The Green Party's platform calls for protection of old growth forests; a ban on industrial timber harvest on public lands; a ban on all clear-cutting; a reduction of road building on public lands; and public involvement in decision-making affecting public resources. Cobb also called for the retention of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule which currently protects over 50 million acres of undeveloped public forests. The Bush Administration has proposed gutting the rule, which would leave millions of acres of public land vulnerable to destruction and development by commercial interests. "It is high time we stopped allowing industrial, commercial logging on our public lands. Our forests are worth much more to us as sources of drinking water, clean air and recreational opportunities," said Cobb. In Oregon, where the Biscuit fire site is slated for logging, tourism and recreation are two of the state's biggest industries. Cobb's Green Tour has taken him to superfund sites, examples of green architecture and light rail transit, a bicycle highway and a wind farm in Nebraska. "David Cobb will be casting a spotlight on the good, the bad and the ugly of environmental issues on this tour," said Cobb-LaMarche Media Coordinator Blair Bobier. MORE INFORMATION: search: evpol, ecpol, elct |