Editorial: Timber subsidies might get felled

Friday, June 5, 1998 | 10:54 a.m.

THE Republican leadership in the House has come to its senses, apparently agreeing to end federal subsidies for the timber industry's logging on public lands.

Even though the change of heart has less to do with altruism, and more to do with election-year politics (House Republicans are getting sensitive to the anti-environment label), it's about time they did something. Basically, the subsidy works this way: Timber companies build roads in national forests and in return get credits to offset what they pay for timber sales. Not only is the road-building helping to destroy our national forests, it is an obscene subsidy for the timber industry. Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., put it best last year when he called the program "food stamps" for the timber industry.

Although Bryan's attempt to cut off subsidies to the timber industry was narrowly defeated in the Senate late last year, his aide said Thursday that the House leadership's recent decision will help in the Republican-controlled Senate. Mike Anderson, a forest analyst for the Wilderness Society, was cautious Thursday in his assessment of the plan because he hadn't seen all the details. Still, Anderson said the Wilderness Society is supportive of the proposal if in fact the House leadership follows through and eliminates the purchase of road credits. "Sen. Bryan should get a lot of credit for this positive development," Anderson said.

While this is an apparent victory for the environment, there are still some parts of the nation's timber policy that need overhauling. For instance, the New York Times reported Thursday that while the House Republican plan would end subsidies for timber companies, the agreement doesn't mean that more roads can't be built -- the companies will just have to use their own money.

The concession is a step in the right direction, but it is only a step. Unnecessary road-building through our national forests needs to end. Congress must address this issue as well.