Bill Introduced To Ban Clearcutting On Federal Land

A measure that would ban clearcutting in all federally owned forests and prohibit logging on 13 million acres in the Northwest was introduced Wednesday by New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli.

The freshman Democrat described the issue as one of the great battles of this Senate session and used language to match when describing the effects of clearcutting.

“This is to nature what the United States Air Force did to Dresden in World War II,” Torricelli said.

“It is the complete and utter destruction of all living things.”

Torricelli said he wants lawmakers to weigh his measure against one sponsored by Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho.

Craig has proposed limits on citizen appeals and lawsuits that are meant to block logging.

The Idaho senator, whose office had no immediate comment on Torricelli’s measure, also wants to give the Forest Service more leeway to conduct logging without other agencies’ support.

Torricelli said his bill has not attracted any support from Northwest lawmakers, Democrat or Republican.

“I know this will be an extremely difficult fight,” Torricelli said.

“I know some of my colleagues in the West will not be sympathetic, but this is our last chance.”

Torricelli’s measure, which is similar to legislation introduced in the House, also would ban logging in about 3.8 million acres of 100 specially designated areas around the country.

The bill would prohibit logging and road building in roadless areas greater than 5,000 acres in the West and larger than 1,500 acres in the East.

Torricelli said his legislation applies to 20 percent of the harvestable timber in the country.

“The bill is nationwide and comprehensive,” said Carl Ross, co-director of Save America’s Forests.

“We’re not sacrificing one forest for another.”

Western critics have said Eastern lawmakers have no business telling them how to manage their lands.

But Torricelli said 95 percent of the nation’s forests already have been destroyed, and that perhaps it’s not too late for the West to avoid the near-total deforestation of the East.

“These forests belong to all citizens of the United States,” Torricelli said.

“As the years pass, they will be gratified we gave them the benefits of our expertise.”

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