Pelosi: 'Forest Regulations Written With Special Interests, Not Public Interest, In Mind'

Pelosi: 'Forest Regulations Written With Special Interests, Not Public Interest, In Mind'

http://democraticleader.house.gov

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
issued the following statement on the Bush Administration's new land
management planning regulations for national forests, which were announced
this afternoon:

"The regulations released by the Bush Administration today are an insult
to every American who cares about our national forests. By greatly weakening
critical protections, the regulations will increase the exploitation of our
natural resources by private companies without ensuring the survival of the
forests for future generations.
"The Administration's draft rule, issued two years ago, was roundly and
rightly criticized as a giveaway to corporate timber, mining, and oil
interests. Apparently, the Bush Administration took that as encouragement,
ignoring repeated requests to let scientists offer input into the new rules.
The Administration instead pushed ahead with its plans to reduce the role of
scientists and the public in managing our national forests, and the
environment will pay the price.
"The national forests belong to the American people, but these regulations
were written with the special interests, not the public interest, in mind.
The Administration should go back to the drawing board."



SOURCE Office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
Web Site: http://democraticleader.house.gov