SOUND BITE FACTS!

• For a period of 5 years S. 1028 protects 494 thousand acres that are presently available for harvesting based on the existing Land Management plans. This means no harvesting and no roads!  At the end of 5 years the program will be reviewed and if progress meets goals then the 148 thousand acres of "deferred" areas could be reviewed for potential thinning treatment.
  
  
• S. 1028 protects riparian areas by adopting the Scientific Analysis Team's standards and guidelines for Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas which are more stringent than existing riparian protection standards.
  
  
• S. 1028 does not permit harvesting of old-growth forests. Adherence to the California Spotted Owl Interim Guidelines and the final California Spotted Owl Environmental Impact Statement decision is stipulated in the bill language.
  
  
• There is no clearcutting associated with S. 1028!
  
  
• S. 1028 does not double logging on 2.5 million acres of National Forest. The 40,000 - 60,000 acres stipulated in the bill is approximately the same level of treatment proposed for the 1997 fiscal year plan of work for the three forests.
  
  
• S. 1028 will not divert funds from other National Forests. The Bill specifically states that "The Secretary may not conduct the pilot project using funds appropriated for any other unit of the National Forest System."
  
  
• There will not be a large amount of road building associated with the pilot project.  The projected 117 miles of new roads identified in the withdrawn California Spotted Owl Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement as being needed to implement the fuelbreak strategy missed a key element of the Fuelbreak Strategy that said that fuelbreaks would be "located, where possible, along existing roads".
  
  
• S. 1028 stipulates that all environmental laws will be followed!

,)/,(/,( 0(:,(:,( AM