Wild Blog

Help Stop Subsidies for Logging Wild Alaskan Forests
Wednesday, June 13, 2007

HOUSE VOTE SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 14

This year the Congress has another opportunity to eliminate one of the more ridiculous environmentally destructive taxpayer subsidies. With the FY08 Interior Appropriations
bill likely to be voted on Thursday, June 14, Sierra Club is making a serious effort to end taxpayer subsidies for commercial logging roads in the Tongass National Forest.

YOU CAN HELP BY URGING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT THE
CHABOT-ANDREWS AMENDMENT TO THE FY08 INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
BILL

CALL NOW AND ON THURSDAY, JUNE 14 THROUGH THE US CAPITOL
SWITCHBOARD AT (202) 224-3121 – ALSO TAKE ACTION AT
WWW.SIERRACLUB.ORG/FORESTS

Known as America’s Rainforest, the Tongass National Forest has giant Sitka Spruce and is home to wolves, bears, marten and millions of wild salmon. Logging in the Tongass primarily targets the rare groves of large old-growth trees which provide vital habitat for the region's fish and
wildlife.

During the last 50 years, the timber industry has logged nearly half a million acres of old-growth forest and constructed over 5,000 miles of logging roads in the Tongass. Despite the fact that the federal government has always lost money with its commercial logging program in
Alaska, the Forest Service is still planning new logging roads and timber sales in wild roadless forests. The US Forest Service typically loses an average of $40 million each year logging the Tongass.

If Congress is serious about cutting government waste, this annual subsidy to prop up the timber industry is a great place to start. PLEASE HELP BY CONTACTING YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!

For more information see the Sierra Club’s website at
www.sierraclub.org/forests

Labels: wild legacy

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