New rules speed fire prevention, logging

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Olympian

5/31/03

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is dropping a requirement for environmental studies before logging or burning trees to prevent forest fires, and wants to end consultations on whether such actions would affect endangered species.
Under the new policy, the Forest Service and Interior Department would not need an environmental study before cutting or burning excess trees on the 190 million acres of federal land considered to be at risk for a catastrophic wildfire.

"These new tools will reduce the layers of unnecessary red tape and procedural delay that prevent agency experts from acting quickly to protect communities and our natural resources from devastating wildfires," Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said in a statement Friday.

The projects would not be subject to administrative appeals. The Bush administration is also limiting who can appeal projects done under normal circumstances.

Logging would only be allowed on up to 1,000 acres under the categorical exclusion exemption. Controlled burns -- where fire is used under certain conditions to burn out excess trees -- could be conducted on up to 4,500 acres.

The regulations will take effect after they are published in the Federal Register sometime next week.