1996 RESOLUTIONS
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FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS
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1996 FWOC
Resolution
No. 1:
PRESERVATION OF THE HEADWATERS FOREST!
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The Headwaters Forest
comprises approximately 60,000 acres in Northern California. It
contains six large groves of old-growth redwoods which are
irreplaceable, and they provide habitat for the marbled murrelet and
other endangered or threatened species. The land is owned by the
Pacific Lumber Company, which has been taken over by a Texas company
(Maxxam, Inc.) that owes $1.6 billion
to the U.S. government for the bailout of several failed
savings-and-loan associations that Maxxam also owns. Maxxam wants
to log the Headwaters Forest to pay off part or all of this debt to the
U.S. government. Extensive logging has heretofore been prevented
by invoking the Endangered Species Act (itself in danger).
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However, much of this
precarious protection is to expire on September 15, 1996, (the
"official" end of the nesting season of the marbled murrelet) due to
the notorious "salvage logging" rider that was slipped into another
piece of Federal legislation that became law over a year ago. The
"salvage logging" rider suspends all previous environmental laws
relative to dead trees, and "associated" trees in the vicinity of the
dead trees. Removing dead trees (which are actually important
parts of the forest ecosystem), and "associated" trees (which are
frequently healthy trees), will greatly damage the Headwaters
Forest. The CEO and 60% owner of Maxxam (Charles Hurwitz of
Houston, Texas) has offered to exchange one 3,000 acre grove of the
Forest for some "surplus" Federal land, the acreage and location to be
negotiated. Saving of such a small portion of the Headwaters
Forest (5%), and permitting de-facto logging of the rest of it, is
totally unacceptable.
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"Debt for Nature"
negotiations are now in progress between the U.S. Government and Maxxam
which would transfer the Headwater Forest lands (with the ancient
forest groves intact) to the government in exchange for forgiveness of
all or part of the $1.6 billion dept. owed by Maxxam/Hurwitz.
President Clinton has the power to declare a moratorium on logging of
this area pending completion of these negotiations, and to pursue a
"Debt for Nature" exchange which will preserve this significant and
irreplaceable forest, the whole 60,000 acres, in its entirety!
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...................................................................................................................
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The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs
urges its Member Clubs and individual members to write, FAX, or
telephone President Clinton immediately asking him to exercise the
"Debt for Nature" option for the Headwater Forest before the September
15 protection expiration date. (Now extended to 9/29/96)
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President William
Clinton
Telephone: (202) 456-1111/456-1414
The White House, Washington, DC
20500
FAX (202) 456-2461
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Send copies of your message to your
Congressional legislators, and also to:
Kathleen McGinty,
Chief, White House Counsel on Environmental
Affairs
Telephone: (202) 395-5750
Washington, DC
20503
FAX (202) 456-2883
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John Garamendi, Deputy Secretary of the
Interior
Telephone: (202) 208-2691
1849 "C" Street
NW
FAX (202) 208-1873
Washington, DC
20240
FAX (202) 208-1873
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R. Helfer Tel., (202) 898-6974 FAX (202)
898-3500
J. Fiechter Tel 9066590 FAX8982030
Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation
Office of Thrift Supervision
550 17th Street
NW
1700 "G" Street NW
Washington, DC
20429
Washington, DC 20552
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