BTL:White House Rules Changes on Forest Management Could Reduce Protection of..

...Endangered Species and Limit Public Input~ Interview with Marty Hayden, legislative director with Earthjustice, conducted by Between the Lines' Melinda Tuhus <!--break--> White House Rules Changes on Forest Management Could Reduce Protection of Endangered Species and Limit Public Input Interview with Marty Hayden, legislative director with Earthjustice, conducted by Melinda Tuhus True to form, the Bush administration picked the run-up to a major holiday to announce a radical change in environmental policy. This time the holiday was Christmas, and the issue was national forest management policy. The stated goal of the change is to increase efficiency and give more decision-making power to local and regional forest managers when creating 15-year plans for managing the nation's forests. The changes will make it easier for these forest managers to decide whether to allow more logging, drilling or off-road vehicle use in the nation's 155 national forests and grasslands. However, environmentalists say the changes will lead to greatly reduced protections for all species who live in the forests and will cut back on opportunities for public comment. Although the rules are effective Dec. 31st, environmental groups are gearing up to challenge them. Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Marty Hayden, legislative director with Earthjustice, an organization that litigates on behalf of environmental groups. He discusses what the rule changes will mean for the almost 200 million acres of forests now under federal control. Call Earthjustice at (202) 667-4500 or visit their web site at www.earthjustice.org LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below: http://www.btlonline.org * "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: http://www.btlonline.org * "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October). * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * betweenthelines@snet.net * http://www.squeakywheel.net/ * Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. (c)2005 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

<p>...Endangered Species and Limit Public Input~ Interview with Marty Hayden, legislative director with Earthjustice, conducted by Between the Lines' Melinda Tuhus</p> <!--break--><p>White House Rules Changes on Forest Management Could Reduce Protection of Endangered Species and Limit Public Input</p> <p>Interview with Marty Hayden, legislative director with Earthjustice, conducted by Melinda Tuhus</p> <p>True to form, the Bush administration picked the run-up to a major holiday to announce a radical change in environmental policy. This time the holiday was Christmas, and the issue was national forest management policy.</p> <p>The stated goal of the change is to increase efficiency and give more decision-making power to local and regional forest managers when creating 15-year plans for managing the nation's forests. The changes will make it easier for these forest managers to decide whether to allow more logging, drilling or off-road vehicle use in the nation's 155 national forests and grasslands.</p> <p>However, environmentalists say the changes will lead to greatly reduced protections for all species who live in the forests and will cut back on opportunities for public comment. Although the rules are effective Dec. 31st, environmental groups are gearing up to challenge them. Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Marty Hayden, legislative director with Earthjustice, an organization that litigates on behalf of environmental groups. He discusses what the rule changes will mean for the almost 200 million acres of forests now under federal control.</p> <p>Call Earthjustice at (202) 667-4500 or visit their web site at <a href="http://www.earthjustice.org">www.earthjustice.org</a></p> <p>LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:</p> <p><a href="http://www.btlonline.org">http://www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: <a href="http://www.btlonline.org">http://www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).<br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&amp;A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="mailto:betweenthelines@snet.net">betweenthelines@snet.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="http://www.squeakywheel.net/">http://www.squeakywheel.net/</a><br /> *<br /> Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.<br /> (c)2005 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.</p>