Why Should Forestry Be Exempt From Pollution Laws?
Poorly made logging roads threaten a huge range of wild species of animals, from elk to flying squirrels all the way down to tiny salamanders. These roads also are a significant source of pollution, sending toxic substances into streams that then feed into rivers that then are used for agricultural irrigation and human drinking water. Erosion and increased debris flow that result make for dangerous conditions, requiring expensive river remediation programs.
That’s not just the opinion of environmental activists. It’s the insight gained through a broad range of peer-reviewed scientific research. It’s a judgment that’s also been backed by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which found that the environmental damage from unregulated logging roads is significant.
The facts are clear. Unregulated logging roads create harm that spreads far beyond property lines.
Yet, four U.S. Senators are asking the American people to ignore the facts, and to pass legislation that dismantles the decision of the Circuit Court. Mike Crapo, Ron Wyden, James Risch, and Mark Begich have introduced S. 1369, the Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act, intended to evade the protections that are so clearly necessary. The legislation would exempt logging operations from anti-pollution regulations, allowing loggers to continue to create problems downstream without any consequences.
Such an arrangement may be profitable for logging companies. It is not, however, in the larger interest of the American people.
