Rep. McClintock sells us out???

We will never forget what a
careless hunter did to our forest!!!

   In an LA Times editorial yesterday, a few facts we already knew about the Rim Fire and Tom McClintock were reinforced:

  "Making the Rim Fire Worse"


   by LA Times Editorial Staff

   "A bill by Rep. McClintock to allow salvage logging in the burn area is a giveaway to timber interests and ignores basic reviews that govern logging in national forests.

   The Stanislaus National Forest was a thickly forested wonderland of streams, wildlife and campgrounds until last summer's Rim Fire--started by a hunters illegal campfire--scorched more than 250,000 acres of it and the adjacent Yosemite National Park.

   To many people, its a tragic sight now. What was once dense greenery is now scarred, grey and empty looking.
  
   ....From the point of view of the loggers, the fire was good for another reason.  It opened up an opportunity to pull out lots of lumber.

   At first glace, the public might agree. Why not make use of a bunch of dead trees? But that would be a serious mistake.

   Loggers have an ally in Rep. McClintock. (R) Elk Grove, whose irresponsible bill would allow almost unfettered timber operations throughout the burn area, heedlessly crushing the forest's recovery and undermining a history of science based environmental review that is supposed to govern logging in the national forest.

   Forest science? What forest science?  Heavy machinery would roam the hills, chewing up fragile new growth and pulling out fire damaged trees before foresters can determine if they are alive.

   And even dead trees have tremendous value in recovering the forest, stabilizing the bare ground and providing habitat for vast populations of bugs, birds and other creatures.

    ....According to forest scientists most burn areas are best left to regenerate themselves, even those as unimaginably large as the one in the Stanislaus National Forest."

   In our own words, as lovers of the Stanislaus, and feel devastated that the USFS allowed the fire to overwhelm the forest,  "How much money does Rep. McClintock get from Sierra Pacific Industries or their owners the Emersons or some secret PAC they donate to for him? We have asked and get no reply!!

   Let our elected officials know how you feel. Contact Sen. Diane Feinstein and Congressman Ami Bera online to tell them what you think.