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WHEN THE EVIL THAT MEN DO

IS NEVER REPORTED

The Anti-Environment Movement in this Country Can Not Wait Until there is a Veto-Proof Republican Majority in the Senate and an Increased Republican Majority in House.

An UPDATE to include the names of a REPUBLICAN anti-environment congressman and a DEMOCRATIC anti-environment congressman. Gerald Solomon (Republican,NY/General Electric) and Alan Molihan (Democrat, WV)

Anti-Environment Bills and Riders APPROVED by the Senate

The FIRST anti-environmental rider would authorize construction of a road through the middle of the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Author: Senator Frank Murkowski, REPUBLICAN, Alaska. Passed by Senate.

The SECOND anti-environmental bill or rider - Delay in Reducing Pesticide Use in Children’s Products. Passed by Senate July 17, 1998

The THIRD anti-environmental bill or rider - Native Allotments in Conservation Areas. Passed by Senate July 17, 1998

The FOURTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Blocking Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution, Passed by Senate July 17, 1998

The FIFTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Ban on Use of Funds for Brownfields Revolving Loan Funds. Passed by Senate July 17, 1998

The SIXTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Limitation on Using Funds from Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Settlement to Purchase Habitat in Spill-affected Area. This rider would limit the use of funds from the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement to support only marine research and economic restoration projects for the fishing industry and local fishermen. Passed by the Senate on July 23, 1998.

The SEVENTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Unnecessary Alaska Access - Funding a $700,000 study of "rural access" in Alaska. Passed by the Senate on July 24, 1998.

The EIGHTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Delay in Compliance with Federal Safety Regulations for Transport of Hazardous Materials. Passed by the Senate on July 24, 1998.

The NINTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Expansion of Highway 93 Through the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. Language in the Senate Committee Report attempts to overturn a 1996 decision by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to defer a proposal to widen Highway 93 in Western Montana. Passed by Senate on July 24, 1998.

The TENTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Helicopters in Wilderness. Passed by the Senate on July 24, 1998.

 

Anti-Environmental Bills and Riders in the Senate - still PENDING - may be passed as a single bill following a Repbublican Senate-Republican House conference.

The ELEVENTH anti-environmental rider - Waiver of Environmental Review for Grazing Permits.

The TWELFTH anti-environmental rider - Interference with Land Acquisition in Alaska - Denali National Park and Lake Clark National Park areas.

The THIRTEENTH anti-environmental rider - Trees for Stewardship Exchange - harmful commercial logging under the guise of stewardship.

The FOURTEENTH anti-environmental rider - Snow Basin Road Subsidized by Taxpayers. This rider would authorize $13.9 million to build a three-mile road from Trappers Loop Highway up to Snow Basin Ski Area in northern Utah. In 1996, a rider on a parks bill enabled a developer to acquire National Forest land through a land exchange in order to develop a ski resort. This rider increases the developer's windfall by allocating federal funds to pay for an access road.

The FIFTEENTH anti-environmental rider - Subsidized Logging of Red Cedar in Alaska. This rider would help maintain the Tongass National Forest as the biggest money loser in the National Forest system by requiring that all timber sold in Region 10 (Alaska) utilize the antiquated residual value appraisal system.

The SIXTEENTH anti-environmental rider - Restrictions on Improving Salmon Habitat in Columbia and Snake Rivers.

The SEVENTTEENTH anti-environmental rider - Rent Subsidies in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest

The EIGHTTEENTH anti-environmental rider - Impede Elwha River Dam Removal- Salmon Habitat and Spawning.

The NINETEENTH anti-environmental rider - Promote Commercialization of the Land Between the Lake Hardwood Forest in Kentucky and Tennessee.

The TWENTIETH anti-environmental rider - Override of Denali National Park and Preserve EIS. The rider directs the National Park Service PS to maintain gravel airstrip at the entrance to the park for general aviation and commercial uses, and erroneously states that this strip is the only access point for visitors choosing to fly to the park. This is not true

The TWENTY-FIRST anti-environmental rider would prevent the National Park Service from phasing out commericial fishing designed to protect wildlife in Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska.

The TWENTY-SECOND anti-environmental rider would require the U.S. Forest Service to offer for sale from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska at least 90 percent of the allowable sale quantity (240 million board feet) of timber per year. If the Forest Service fails to meet the target, because of environmental or market constraints, the rider would allow parties to sue the Forest Service to produce more timber and require the agency to pay local communities 25 percent of the value of the timber not harvested. Would double the current rate of logging.

The TWENTY-THIRD anti-environmental rider would terminate an ongoing public process of recovery of the grizzly bear in the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness in Idaho and Montana.

The TWENTY-FOURTH anti-environmental rider would prevent the U.S. Forest Service from removing dangerous and environmentally damaging roads until all unauthorized "ghost" roads (roads that were created by illegal off-road vehicle use) had been closed or upgraded. Most of the roads are logging roads built for heavy trucks, many of which are now causing mudslides and fragmentation.

The TWENTY-FIFTH anti-environmental rider - Subverting Ecological Restoration. This rider would prevent the Forest Service from using prescribed fire to remove brush until all commercial timber has been cut from the area.

The TWENTY-SIXTH anti-environmental rider would override the Endangered Species Act by requiring Congressional approval for changes to the operation of Columbia River reservoirs. This rider would interfere with the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP), a multi-agency planning process, affecting 71 million acres of public land in the Interior West. The rider keeps ICBEMP from making any decisions itself, while simultaneously undermining the Endangered Species Act if the Project’s work is incorporated into individual land management plans. This measure passed in the House on July 23, 1998.

The TWENTY-SEVENTH anti-environmental rider would prevent the Forest Service from updating plans to manage national forests.

The TWENTY-EIGHTH anti-environmental rider - Emphasis on Human Activity in Wilderness Areas. This rider would shift Forest Service emphasis in administering the Wilderness Act of 1964 away from the quality of solitude in wilderness areas to one focused on human activity and recreational use. It seeks to abolish regulations which set limits on the number of people in designated wilderness areas

The TWENTY-NINTH anti-environmental rider postponing the environmental regulations for 30,000 mines on PUBLIC LANDS in California. Will delay the implementation of the rules for 18 months. Attempt by Senator Bumpers (DEMOCRAT-ARKANSAS) to kill this rider voted down on September 15, 1998 by a vote of 48 to 40.

The THIRTIETH anti-environmental rider - Moratorium on Oil Royalties Valuation Rule. This rider would block the Interior Department from getting more money from the oil companies drilling off the coast of the state of California. Allows oil and gas industry to dodge $86 million in oil royalties to the U.S. government.

 

Anti-Environmental Bills and Riders PASSED by the House

The THIRTY-FIRST anti-environmental bill or rider - Blocking Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution. by Rep. Knollenberg (REPUBLICAN-MICHIGAN). Passed by House July 29 1998.

The THIRTY-SECOND anti-environmental bill or rider - Blocking Research to Reduce Methane Gas Releases from Farm Animal Operations. by Rep. Neumann (REPUBLICAN-WISCONSIN). Passed by House July 29 1998.

The THIRTY-THIRD anti-environmental bill or rider - Foothill South Toll Road. Rep. Ron Packard (REPUBLICAN -CALIFORNIA) included an amendment that would expedite construction of a new highway through park land in Southern California. This rider sets a dangerous precedent by hindering the EPA’s efforts to assess and mitigate environmental impact as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Passed by House July 30, 1998.

The THIRTY-FOURTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Freeze Existing CAFE Standards. Rep. Wolf (REPUBLICAN - VIRGINIA ) included an amendment that would ban the Department of Transportation from updating Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Passed by House July 30, 1998.

The THIRTY-FIFTH anti-environmental bill or rider Relaxation of HOV Restrictions on New Jersey Highway. Still another provision in the House bill would allow federal funds set aside to reduce air pollution to be used to subsidize single-occupancy vehicles. On the floor of the House, an amendment by Rep. Roukema (REPUBLICAN-NEW JERSEYJ) passed by voice vote that instructs the DOT Secretary to grant the repayment waiver to New Jersey if the state decides to open the HOV lanes. Passed by the House.

 

Anti-Environmental Bills and Riders NOT KILLED in the House by Democrats and PASSED by the House.

The THIRTY-SIXTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Moratorium on PCB Cleanup - General Electric Bill -Gerald P. Solomon (R-NY/General Electric) ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.Waxman (D-CA) - Failed on a vote of 243 to 176 on July 23, 1998. Passed by House on July 29, 1998.

The THIRTY-SEVENTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Delay in Implementing the Food Quality Protection Act. ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.Waxman (D-CA) - Failed on a vote of 243 to 176 on July 23, 1998. Passed by House on July 29, 1998.

The THIRTY-EIGHTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Delay in Regulating Mercury Emissions from Power Plants Alan Molihan (D.WV) - ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.Waxman (D-CA) - Failed on a vote of 243 to 176 on July 23, 1998, Passed by House on July 29, 1998.

The THIRTY-NINTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Interfering with EPA Efforts to Cleanup Superfund sites. ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.Waxman (D-CA) - Failed on a vote of 243 to 176 on July 23, 1998, Passed by House on July 29, 1998.

The FORTIETH anti-environmental bill or rider - Interfering with EPA Plans to Reduce Air Pollution in National Parks. ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.Waxman (D-CA) - Failed on a vote of 243 to 176 on July 23, 1998, Passed by House on July 29, 1998.

The FORTY-FIRST anti-environmental bill or rider - Peer Review" Interference. ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.Waxman (D-CA) - Failed on a vote of 243 to 176 on July 23, 1998, Passed by House on July 29, 1998.

The FORTY-SECOND anti-environmental bill or rider - Chugach Road. This rider would grant a particularly destructive road construction easement through the northern section of the Chugach National Forest in Alaska, across the Copper River Delta in Alaska. ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.Hinchey (D-NY) - Failed on a floor vote. Passed by House July 23, 1998

The FORTY-THIRD anti-environmental bill or rider - Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Plan (ICBEMP). This rider would effectively end the project by preventing a final decision on the ICBEMP Final Environmental Impact Statement. This is similar to a rider attached for a time to last year's Appropriations bill. . ATTEMPTED KILL by Rep.McDermott (D-WA) - Failed on a floor vote on July 23 1998. Passed by House July 23, 1998. See Senate rider above.

The FORTY-FOURTH anti-environmental bill or rider Forest Health Fund. This provision would allow the ten percent roads and trails fund to be used to "improve forest health conditions." Since there are no restrictions limiting the use to non-commercial activities, and logging is considered a "forest health" activity by the Forest Service, this fund is likely to be used to fund timber sales,under the rider, rather than for needed repair of priority recreational trials. Passed by House.

The FORTY-FIFTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Removing Coastal Barrier Areas from Protection. This rider would remove several Florida land parcels from the Coastal Barrier system, despite the recent decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that implementation of the deletions is invalid. Passed by House July 23, 1998.

The FORTY-SIXTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Great Smoky Mountains National Park Road. This rider would force the National Park Service to keep the Newfound Gap road open year-round, 24-hours/day in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Passed by House July 23, 1998. Cost: $300,000 a year.

 

Anti-Environmental Bills and Riders KILLED in the House by two Democrats and one Republican

The FORTY-SEVENTH anti-environmental bill or rider Ban on Educating the Public About Global Warming KILLED BY Rep. Obey (D-WI) on voice vote July 23, 1998.

The FORTY-EIGHTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Tree Planting Funds (Knutson-Vandenburg Act ) for Overhead. This rider would allow up to 25% of the K-fund to be used for Forest Service overhead. The inclusion of an authorization of up to 25% of all K-V funds in this bill amounts to rewarding the Forest Service for whatsome feel has been an illegal skimming K-V funds, and is currently a question being decided by the courts. KILLED BY Rep. Miller (D-CA)

The FORTY-NINTH anti-environmental bill or rider - Red Snapper Bycatch. Rep. Sonny Callahan (REPUBLICAN-ALABAMA) inserted language in the bill that would weaken the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Act by extending Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana’s jurisdiction over their fisheries from 3 to 9 miles offshore. This provision was eliminated by adoption of an amendment offered by Rep. Gilchrest (REPUBLICAN-NEW JERSEY) on the House floor. The amendment passed by voice vote on 8/5/98

 

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