Editorial: Mining the forests for logging interests?

Friday, Oct. 31, 2003 | 4:56 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION Nov. 1 - 2, 2003

Last week, in response to the California wildfires, the U.S. Senate by an 80-14 vote hastily passed legislation that would quicken the pace for thinning overgrown national forests. Supporters of this policy say it would decrease the odds of devastating wildfires to 20 million acres of national forest land that is most vulnerable, but opponents say it is a clever ruse to allow logging companies to clear away even more trees at the expense of the environment.

Small trees, bug-infested trees and brush, especially when they're near urban areas, sometimes have to be cleared as a preventive measure to protect against wildfires. That is why it's too bad that New Mexico Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman's effort to amend the bill, to focus more forest-thinning projects near urban areas, was defeated. One of the legitimate concerns is that under this legislation the federal government actually will end up focusing on the West's rural areas, which often have the more commercially valuable trees, instead of concentrating on urban areas where the potential for harm is greatest.