Despite receiving over 3,000 letters urging him to sign Senator Chesbro's state forest reform bill, SB 1648, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed it on September 16, 2004.
The governor apparently sided with his department of forestry, which opposed the bill, and ignored the combined weight of the legislature, the environmental community, and the public.
Vince Taylor, Executive Director of the Campaign to Restore Jackson State Redwood Forest, said, "Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of SB 1648 is a slap in the face of the public. He vetoed the bill despite its merits and the outpouring of over 3,000 letters asking his signature.
"This is a sad day for the forest, the people of California, and the Mendocino community. SB 1648 would have made the state pay attention to the multiple values of the forest, given the public a say in its management, guaranteed that the forest would get back into operation next year, and ended a controversy that has pitted neighbor against neighbor.
"It is ironic that Schwarzenegger took CDF's advice when it is CDF's mismanagement of Jackson Forest that has angered the public, turned the forest into a major source of public controversy, caused the courts to shut down its operations for four years, and necessitated SB 1648."
Taylor also made clear the intent of the Campaign to continue to oppose the state: "Until and unless the state recognizes the legitimate rights of the public to influence management of its redwood forest, the public will use every legal tool at its disposal to ensure that its rights are not trampled by an unresponsive state government." More information on the veto is at www.jacksonforest.com.
CDF is hurrying to revise the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Jackson State Forest. It hopes to have an approved EIR by late spring 2005, in time for the next logging season. The previous EIR was invalidated and logging was halted in 2003 by the courts in response to a suit brought by the Campaign.
The Campaign plans to challenge the new EIR. It welcomes donations to support the next round of the battle to save our public redwood forest.
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TOC for Forest & River News, Fall 2004