Forests Forever Action Alerts

9/7/05

SENATE VICTORY ON AB 715! GOVERNOR’S DESK LAST STOP

The California roadless area protection bill, AB 715, yesterday passed the state Senate on a 22 to 15 vote! Now it is up to the governor to sign the measure.

Sponsored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), AB 715 would prevent state agencies and departments from assisting the federal government in any action not compatible with the original, protective 2001 federal roadless rule.

The measure passed its Assembly floor vote on May 31. It now returns to the Assembly for a concurrence vote on amendments made in the Senate.

"California spoke loud and clear in 2000 when the original roadless rule was written," said Paul Hughes, executive director of Forests Forever, "The passage of AB 715 is an emphatic re-statement that we want our last wild forests protected. We need to let the governor know, once again, that California wants this bill signed."

There are 18 national forests in California; inventoried roadless areas within them cover about 4.4 million acres. It is these roadless areas that the recent Bush administration repeal of the 2001 roadless rule would leave vulnerable to logging, roadbuilding, and other kinds of development.

The Forest Service repealed the original roadless rule in May 2005 and substituted a phony petition process in which governors can ask to protect (or open to development if they choose) the roadless forests in their states. The Bush-appointed secretary of agriculture, however, can approve or deny these requests.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said back in November 2004 that he will not file a petition under the Bush administration’s new rule. He said that instead his administration would seek to negotiate a state-specific rule for California with the Forest Service.

The governor has not yet indicated whether he will sign AB 715.

"The bill would never have made it this far without the thousands of letters and calls by Forests Forever’s supporters in recent months," Hughes said. "But we can’t pat ourselves on the back just yet. One more strenuous push is needed."

TAKE ACTION

Fax or phone the governor and urge him to sign AB 715. If you have already written to the governor about AB 715, now is a good time to do it again!

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633

You can send the governor an email at:

http://www.govmail.ca.gov

TALKING POINTS

o the repeal of the original roadless rule by the Bush administration leaves the roadless forests of California open to roadbuilding, logging, oil and gas drilling, mining, and other forms of development.

o roadless forests protect watersheds, helping to provide clean drinking water.

o roadless forests provide outdoor recreation such as hunting, fishing, camping and hiking.
o the wilderness experience afforded by roadless areas is irreplaceable.

o Californians should not have to assist in the destruction of their roadless forests.

o Schwarzenegger promised to keep roads out of California’s roadless forests. Signing AB 715 into law would show that he plans to keep his word.