Washington, DC – Concerned that the Bush Administration is discarding protections for old-growth forests in 4.5 million acres of the Sierra Nevada, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein today urged the Administration to reverse course and ensure old-growth forests are protected from logging.  

Following is a copy of a letter sent by Senator Feinstein to Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey:

Dear Under Secretary Rey:

Now that you have exercised your discretionary review of the Sierra Nevada Framework, I urge you to protect old-growth forests.

I fully share your view that we need to move forward expeditiously to treat hazardous fuels. I believe the revised plan allows much needed work to be done in the wildland-urban interface and general forest areas – work that will take decades to complete in these areas.

I am concerned, however, that numerous protections have been removed from the remainder of the Sierra, the 4.5 million acres that are “old forest emphasis areas.” The forest health legislation I co-sponsored last Congress includes a provision protective of old growth. I ask that you consider making changes consistent with the intent of this legislation to protect old growth forests and the species like the California spotted owl that dwell within them.

I believe there would be much less public concern over the revised plan if Californians knew that our old growth forests as well as our fire-threatened communities were being protected.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein