Subject: FW: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #85

Subject: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #85

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              SOUTHWEST BIODIVERSITY ALERT #85
                           7/22/97          

          SOUTHWEST CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
           silver city, tucson, phoenix, san diego
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1. SUIT FILED TO STOP BRIDGER SALVAGE TIMBER SALE

2. USFWS SPIN DOCTORS LIE IN PRESS RELEASE: CLAIM JAGUAR IS NOT
   LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN CALIFORNIA OR LOUISIANA & THAT NO RECOVERY
   PLAN WILL BE PREPARED

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SUIT FILED TO STOP BRIDGER SALVAGE TIMBER SALE

The Southwest Center for Biological Diversity filed for a
temporary restraining order today in a Phoenix federal court against
the Kaibab National Forest to halt illegal logging on the Bridger Salvage
sales.  The case will be heard this Thursday. 

The Bridger sales violate the Kaibab Forest Plan as well as NEPA. 
Kaibab Forest Plan standards call for leaving at least 3 to 5 reserve
trees per acre on all timber sales, but the Bridger sales will clearcut
nearly 3,000 acres.  NEPA requires agencies to consider a broad range of
alternatives for any proposed action, yet the Forest Service refused
to consider an alternative proposed by the Southwest Forest.
The Forest Service justified its refusal by contending that the
alternative was uneconomical.  Apparently, the agency has
forgotten that it will lose nearly $1 million in its selected plan.
guiding mantra.       

Fully aware of the pending litigation, Stone Container is currently
logging the area at a devastating pace.  It has two full crews on site
and is hauling up to 40 truckloads of timber a day.  At approximately
4,000 board feet per truck, this means Stone is moving over 150,000 board
feet a day!

The Center is represented by Hank Lacy (Phoenix).
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USFWS SPIN DOCTORS LIE IN PRESS RELEASE: CLAIM JAGUAR IS NOT LISTED
AS ENDANGERED IN CALIFORNIA OR LOUISIANA & THAT NO RECOVERY PLAN
WILL BE PREPARED

In a bizarre turn of events, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent
out a fraudulent press release falsely implying that the jaguar has
not been listed as endangered in California and Louisiana, and directly
stating that no recovery plan will be prepared.

The actual listing package, however, clearly states that the jaguar is
listed throughout its entire historic range, including California and
Louisiana. The package also states that a recovery plan will be
prepared since current conservation plans are inadequate.

The Clinton administration has long been loath to allow any species
protection in California which could be controversial. The press
release was an ill fated attempt to control the media spin prior to
the release of the official listing package.


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Kieran Suckling                               ksuckling@sw-center.org
Executive Director                            520.623.5252 phone
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity     520.623.9797 fax
http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/sw-center      pob 710, tucson, az 85702-710