Glickman: Salvage Logging Proceeding

Thu., March 28, 1996

From Staff And Wire Reports

The Forest Service is making good on its commitment to expedite salvage logging while following environmental laws, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said Wednesday.

Nearly 1.9 billion of the 4.5 billion board feet of dead and dying timber available on national forests has been sold since President Clinton signed the controversial salvage-logging measure into law last summer, said Glickman, who issued a report on the harvests.

“The Forest Service is not dragging its heels on salvage timber sales. The numbers show that we are ahead of schedule,” Glickman said Wednesday.

“In addition, the Forest Service is complying with the salvage rider and still following the spirit and intent of environmental law,” he said.

Clinton has since advocated repealing the salvage-logging law, but the Senate rejected that idea earlier this month, defeating a repeal amendment proposed by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Western Republicans helped push the original measure through Congress, saying environmental laws protecting fish and wildlife had to be suspended if salvage logs were to be removed before they rotted.

Environmentalists opposed suspension of the laws, saying the move would result in wholesale environmental damage to wildlife habitat and water quality.

Jim Lyons, agriculture undersecretary for natural resources and the environment, acknowledged that “environmental concerns have been raised about the salvage-timber sale program.

“The Forest Service will work with the public to allay its concerns by demonstrating that salvage sales are planned and carried out on the principles of sound science and responsible management,” he said.

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