House panel probes forest health.

The Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Natural Resources of the House Agriculture Committee held a field hearing in Boise, Idaho, in August to take testimony on H.R. 229, sponsored by Idaho Congressman Larry LaRocco. The bill addresses the forest-health problems on federal lands, and is identical to a bill that was voted out of the House Agriculture Committee in 1992 but failed to achieve full passage.

AMERICAN FORESTS' Neil Sampson, citing the work done on the 1992 bill, called on the Subcommittee to continue efforts to negotiate a forest-health approach that would address the serious problems in federal forests, but also meet the objections of both the forest-products industry and the environmental organizations.

"We believe," he told the Subcommittee, "that in spite of serious issues and differences of opinion that need to be addressed, H.R. 229 offers one of the best opportunities available for Congress to help the Forest Service into a new era of stewardship on the public lands, an era consistent with the demands of an environmentally demanding American public and the real opportunities for those forests to provide jobs and products while being operated in an environmentally sound manner."

Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus pointed out the problems being experienced on Idaho forests and called the bill "necessary and urgently needed." A panel of Forest Service researchers noted the basis for the forest-health problems occurring across the inland West, and agreed during questioning that the approach taken by H.R. 229 was technically sound.

Opposition to the bill was voiced by the Wilderness Society. Craig Gehrke of the Society, saying that the proposed emergency designation would "create a siege mentality" and lead to abuses, argued that no legislation is needed.

Subcommittee Chairman Charlie Ross of North Carolina expressed his support for the bill, saying that the Subcommittee will seek House action on it this fall.