SUPPORT THE VIRGINIA RIDGE AND VALLEY ACT! UPDATE: VIRGINIA RIDGE AND VALLEY ACT - The Virginia
Ridge and Valley Act passed the House of Representatives Tuesday,
October 23, 2007. It will protect more than 53,000 acres of
public lands with six new wilderness areas, a wilderness study
area, and two new scenic areas, and expand six existing
wilderness areas in the Jefferson National Forest. The Senate
will now take up the issue.
Please Contact Your Congressional Rep to support the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act, H.R. 1011. The bill is headed to the House floor this week! (week of Oct. 21, 2007) H.R. 1011 will permanently protect 55,000 acres of public land in Virginia's Jefferson National Forest (43,000 acres as wilderness or wilderness study, and nearly 12,000 acres as national scenic area).
District Ranger Ron Bush of the Clinch Ranger District has decided to temporarily withdraw the controversial Back Valley Timber Sale while he revises the environmental assessment to address some discrepancies and other areas of concern.
See article and stay tuned for revised Timber Sale Proposal.
HELP PROTECT RECREATION LAND IN THE JEFFERSON NATIONAL FOREST!
Please act now! - Tell Congress to Add a Key 1,477 Acre Tract to the Jefferson National Forest. Alert courtesy of our friends at New River Land Trust (posted online June 7, 2006)
NATIONAL FOREST SALE ACTION ALERT!
The U.S. House is expected to release its budget resolution as early as March 29, 2006. Budget Chairman Jim Nussle has indicated that he very likely will include President Bush's proposal to sell off nearly a million acres of public lands managed by both the U.S Forest Service and BLM. For Virginia that means 5,717acres of national forest will be sold off to as a one time payment to rural school in the northwest.
Alerts on Protecting Our Roadless Areas:
|
* LEGISLATION TO PROTECT 58.5 MILLION ACRES OF ROADLESS AREAS REINTRODUCED WITH STRONGER SUPPORT THAN EVER: On May 24, 2007, 18 Senators and 141 Representatives
introduced the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act of
2007. Virginians supporting the bill include Senator Warner (a
lead co-sponsor), Sen. Webb (a co-sponsor), Rep. Rick Boucher (a
co-sponsor), and Rep. Jim Moran (a co-sponsor). The legislation
will protect 58.5 million acres of roadless areas across the
nation, including 260,000 acres in the GWNF and 154,000 acres in
the Jefferson NF. Currently there are approx. 4200 miles of roads
under Forest Service and state jurisdiction within the 1.8
million acres of the GW&JNFs, creating an extensive
maintenance backlog outside of existing roadless areas. It makes
sense to keep expensive roads out of pristine roadless areas. For
more information, see http://www.ourforests.org/press/pr2007-05-24.html
* SIGN THE CITIZEN'S
PETITON AND HELP PROTECT OUR LAST WILD FORESTS
On May 5, the Bush administration repealed the widely
supported Roadless Area Conservation Rule, opening nearly
sixty-million acres of America's last wild National
Forests to logging, road construction, mining, oil
exploration, and other forms of development. Please join
us and show your support for the rule by signing our
petition demanding reinstatement of the 2001 roadless
rule.
* ACT NOW TO HELP
PROTECT VIRGINIA'S ROADLESS AREAS
On July 28, 2005, U.S. Rep Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Science
Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) introduced
legislation to restore protections to roadless areas in
America's national forests.
|
ATTACKS ON NEPA
NEPA, the Bedrock Law that Protects the Public's Right to Speak Out on the
Environment, is being attacked. NEPA is the foundation on which all other
environmental laws are built. NEPA requires federal agencies to study
and disclose the environmental effects of major projects on the
surrounding community and include the public in the decision-making
process for federally funded projects. Some want to take NEPA away.
STOP EXTINCTION, SAVE THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
Last month U.S. House of Reprentatives passed HR 3824, a bill by Representative Pombo (California) that, if signed into law, would effectively dismantle the Endangered Species Act.
PLEASE
LET US KNOW ABOUT LOGGING JOBS!!
The Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) is devoted to advancing a common, environmentally sound vision for Virginia. VCN is made up of 100 member organizations, including Virginia Forest Watch, committed to protecting Virginia's natural resources. View VCN Action Alerts.
|
Back Valley timber sale threatens Clinch Ranger District
- Action Alert: Please contact the Forest Service before November
19th and let them know that you oppose the Back Valley Timber
Sale.
Act Now to Protect Wild Gem of George Washington National Forest. Please contact the Forest Service before Oct. 5th, 2007 and let them know that you oppose the Marshall Run Timber Sale. View Sample Letter
SUPPORT THE VIRGINIA RIDGE AND VALLEY ACT OF 2007! UPDATE: VIRGINIA RIDGE AND VALLEY ACT - The Virginia
Ridge and Valley Act passed the House of Representatives Tuesday,
October 23, 2007. It will protect more than 53,000 acres of
public lands with six new wilderness areas, a wilderness study
area, and two new scenic areas, and expand six existing
wilderness areas in the Jefferson National Forest. The Senate
will now take up the issue.
UPDATE: A major milestone was reached when the U.S. House Subcommittee on
National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands heard testimony on the
Virginia Ridge and Valley Act (H.R. 1101) on May 10, 2007. The
Act will create seven new Wilderness Areas, two new National
Scenic Areas, and expand six existing Wilderness Areas in
southwest Virginia. Gerald Gray, president of Virginia Forest
Watch, spoke before the committee on behalf of trout fishermen
and horseback enthusiasts. Tom Davenport, business manager of Mt.
Rogers Outfitters, and John Muffo, member of the Board of
Supervisors for Montgomery County, also spoke on behalf of the
bill.
See http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/hearings/hearingdetail.aspx?NewsID=74
for hearing details. This bill, originally introduced in 2004, was introduced on Feb. 13, 2007 in the 110th Congress.
Stop the Round Mountain Timber Sale/Roadbuilding Project!
Your comments are needed to stop an extensive LOGGING and ROADBUILDING project in the Jefferson National Forest in Bland County. Comments are needed by approximately April 26, '06.
SIGNAL CORPS KNOB LOGGING PROPOSAL.
UPDATE: SIGNAL CORPS KNOB PROJECT DROPPED on
April 27th!
Comment Deadline was Jan. 10, 2006
A 170-230 acre logging project is being proposed in the Signal Corps Knob area south of Rt. 250 (south of Rt. 250 from Ramsey's Draft Wilderness). A large amount of roadbuilding ( 1.4 mi) is being proposed as part of the project.
PROTECT OUR ENDANGERED NATIONAL FORESTS!
Oct. 18, 2005 11:30AM -
1:30PM Rally at the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests Headquarters,
5162 Valleypointe Parkway. Roanoke
Save the Land and Water Conservation Fund - Speak Out For Parks!
Deadline: April 29, 2005
National Forest Management Policy - Comment Deadline: March 7, 2005
STOP THE PUBLIC LANDS GIVEAWAY!
Unique
Opportunity To Protect Your Favorite Places - Your input is needed
|
