Newsflash
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| ARRA - Washington Newsletter - June 2007 |
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Washington Newsletter
June, 2007 Forest Fires as Budget Busters ------------------------------ Summer hasn't even officially begun and massive forest fires have been reported in Florida, Georgia and California. In addition to destroying trees, wildlife and in some cases homes, forest fires are doing something else... consuming more and more of the U. S. Forest Service's budget. In FY 2008, a whopping 45% of the agency's budget will be devoted to fire suppression. This compares to only 13 percent in 1991 and 25 percent in 2000. Is global warming to blame for this increase in forest fires? I am not sure, but I do know there are other factors contributing to this budget busting exercise. For one thing, prior to the 1990's, the Forest Service was able to tap into trust funds generated by timber sales on Forest Service land. But during the last 20 years, timber sales have plummeted because of environmental concerns and as a result, there just isn't enough money in the trust funds for fire fighting purposes. An unintended consequence of the forests being protected from the chainsaws of the logging industry is that they have become virtual powder kegs comprised of diseased trees and underbrush waiting for a lightening strike, a spark or a striking of a match. And poof, and the next thing you know, massive wildfires ignite throughout the countryside. This year alone more than 895,000 acres have burned and we are only at the beginning of the fire season! Wait until July and August. For comparison purposes, the eight year average of acres burned stands at about 760,000 acres. We are already well above the average and it is only the first of June. So, when compiling its budget for submission to the Congress, the Bush Administration had to devote more resources towards fire suppression activities and cut other important Forest Service programs such as the Recreation and Trails budgets. Tough choices to be sure, but tough choices caused by a forest management system that is no longer working to the benefit of the health of our national forests, to those communities adjacent to our forests or to our national budget. FY 2008 Funding for Recreation and Trails Programs -------------------------------------------------- We have written about the proposed cuts in the Forest Service Recreation and Trails programs and that we needed to turn to the Congress for relief. ARRA members have been very active in contacting their Representatives and Senators and asking that these cuts be restored. I am pleased to report that some of your hard work is beginning to pay off. On May 23rd, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Forest Service budget, recommended to the full committee a budget of $272 million for the Recreation program and $78.8 million for the Trails program. The President's budget submission called for a Recreation budget of only $231 million and a Trails budget of $66.4 million. This is a significant turn of events for our issues and ARRA members should be pleased with this progress to date. However, we can't celebrate yet because the appropriations process if far from over so keep those corks in the champagne bottles. We need to gain the approval of the full Appropriations Committee, the House of Representatives and the U. S. Senate before we can really celebrate. I have, however, put the champagne in the refrigerator for proper cooling (and I don't even like champagne). A Meeting with Chief Kimbell ---------------------------- Several motorized recreation access groups, including ARRA, recently met with the Chief of the U. S. Forest Service, Gail Kimbell, to talk about funding issues for her agency and to discuss a growing concern on our part that adequate resources are not being devoted to the implementation process for the Travel Management Rule. I thought our meeting was quite productive and she gave us a fair hearing. I came away from the session believing that she is sincere about having her agency solicit public input in the development of a designated trail system for OHV recreation. Certainly there are some challenges in making sure this sentiment filters down to the district forest level, but I think we got our points across and we were grateful Chief Kimbell agreed to meet with us so that we could personally share our concerns with her. New Director Nominated as Head of Bureau of Land Management ----------------------------------------------------------- On May 30th, President Bush announced his intention to nominate James Caswell as the next director of the Bureau of Land Management. Caswell currently serves as the director of the Idaho Office of Species Conservation, a position he was appointed to by then Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, who just happens to be the current Secretary of the Department of the Interior. If Caswell is confirmed by the U. S. Senate, he will again be reporting to Mr. Kempthorne. Mr. Caswell has the reputation of being a consensus builder. Those skills are going to be tested as he tries to balance the many competing demands and uses of BLM land. We will keep you posted on how he does in the confirmation process. Preparing for a Safe Summer --------------------------- In a couple of weeks, most schools will be out of session and many families will begin the trek to their favorite vacation place. For some, it's straight to the beach and for others, it's escaping to the cool mountains. The care free days of summer sometime mean that we aren't all that focused on safety issues and that is especially true for young adults who seemed determined to take on the role of chief dare devil amongst their siblings and friends. Summer time is the perfect time to signup that youngster of yours for an ATV or dirt bike rider safety course. Proper safety training along with a positive attitude towards the proper use of their favorite OHV means that the summer will be fun and safe. It is also more likely that they will use our public lands in an appropriate manner. So, don't waste any time. Pick up the phone and schedule your kids for the appropriate safety class. And while you are at it, maybe you should sign up for a refresher course or God forbid, take a course with your kid! They may not thank you right away for your concern for their safety, but someday when they look back to the summer of '07, they will appreciate the fact that you cared, and who knows, they might even have fun spending time with you. To learn more about the courses, go to: http://www.arra-access.com/ct/ep1Pgy71FmYO/atvsafety and/or http://www.arra-access.com/ct/dd1Pgy71FmYI/dirtbikeschool. Sincerely, Larry E. Smith Executive Director Americans for Responsible Recreational Access |