Wildfires Gives Boost to Logging Bills

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The wildfires racing across southern California are making it almost certain the Senate will approve more extensive logging on 20 million acres of federal forests as a way to reduce the threat of rapidly spreading fires.

Separately, the House was considering a record $2.9 billion in spending for fighting wildfires and for programs aimed at reducing fire risks in forests as the devastation in California gave the issue new urgency on Capitol Hill.

Democrats joined Republicans on Wednesday in support of legislation that would make it easier to thin out small trees and brush in federal forests by scaling back the requirement for environmental reviews or judicial challenges. It calls for spending $760 million a year on such thinning projects.

A vote was expected Thursday on the Senate legislation as well as the spending bill before the House.

The Bush administration embraced the Senate's ``healthy forests'' initiative, saying it would provide ``the needed flexibility to manage public lands wisely'' and implement a forest management plan ``good for both the environment and our economy.''

Supporters said it not only would lessen the fire threat, but also reduce the damage to forests from disease and insect infestation.

But the legislation has been criticized by environmentalists who maintain the Western wildfires are being used to promote new logging of thick, mature trees even in areas where the danger of forest fires to populated areas is slim. Much of the fuel for the California wildfires has been scrub trees and brush.

``This legislation is not a logging bill,'' countered Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., as debate began on the measure. ``This legislation would allow the brush to be cleared out'' in the national forests while providing for protection of large, old-growth trees.

Feinstein said additional thinning of forests is essential to reduce the threat of wildfires such as those that have swept across southern California, burning more than 950 square miles, destroying more than 1,800 homes and causing more than a dozen deaths.

But other Democrats said there would be environmental consequences.

``We could see widespread heavy logging of mature trees even in pristine roadless areas,'' Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, warned.

The legislation would lift the requirement for environmental reviews for thinning activities covering up to 1,000 acres, said Harkin. It also would restrict the ability to challenge the timber sales in court, in some cases barring court challenges altogether.

This would only end ``the paralysis through continuous litigation'' on timber sales, argued Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho. But Harkin cited studies that showed only about 7 percent of timber sales are ever appealed to the courts.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said federal policy for too long has prevented timber mangers from removing dead and fallen trees, underbrush and small trees from forests, setting the stage for wildfires.

``Can't environmental organizations understand that there has to be a little bit of a balance?'' Craig said.

``Catastrophic wildfires, not logging ... is killing Oregon's forests,'' said Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore.

Still some senators said they wanted to make additional changes before a final vote.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said more of the $760 million a year for forest thinning should be earmarked for areas close to communities where the fire threat to homes and people is greatest. The bill calls for half the money to go to forests near populated areas.

Bingaman also favors a measure that would stop the practice of borrowing from the forest fire protection fund to pay for firefighting.

The legislation before the House calls for spending a record $2.9 billion on forest fire activities, including $800 million for battling wildfires, about $289 million more than the current budget, and $937 million for activities to reduce the fire threat in national forests.

Meanwhile, lawmakers on Wednesday included in an Iraq-related spending bill $500 million in emergency funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deal with the California wildfires as well as recovery from last month's Hurricane Isabel.