Protect all roadless areas from logging by canceling existing timber
sales in those areas,
immediately protection the most ecologically sensitive lands.
Remaining pristine forests would be
put off limits to further logging and road construction.
Prohibit all new timber sales and phase out all existing timber sales
within two years. This bill
would seek to mitigate the damage done by the so-called “timber salvage”
rider that exempted
public lands logging from environmental laws. Vice President
Gore has called the rider “the
biggest mistake” of the Administration. The National Forest Protection
and Restoration Act
would immediately cancel remaining “salvage rider sales.”
Save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually by ending the
fiscally irresponsible federal
timber sales program. This bill would eliminate the multimillion
dollar annual subsidy to the
timber industry, saving at least $300 million in the first year after
passage.
Redirect logging subsidies to provide training, adjustment assistance,
education, employment
services, and need-related payments to dislocated timber workers.
Redirect monies currently held in Forest Service accounts to continue
providing funding to states
for countries and local governments during the transition period.
Redirect logging subsidies to provide start-up funding for businesses
developing or producing
environmentally sensitive nonwood alternative paper and construction
materials.
Begin a scientifically-based ecological restoration program for federal
public forests. The bill
directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to establish a
Natural Heritage Restoration
Corps. This Corps will work to restore logged areas on federal
public lands through activities
such as revegetation, prescribed burning, stabilizing soils, road removal,
and removal of barriers
to fish migration. The Act directs the Corps to give preference
to dislocated timber workers
when hiring personnel or private contractors for its restoration work.