Following another summer of catastrophic wildfires, President Bush signed the Healthy Forest Initiative into law on December 3, 2003. Supporters of the legislation maintain it will help prevent these wildfires by expediting the thinning of forests. Opponents argue the measure opens the door for unregulated logging but will do little to protect communities in fire-prone areas.
On January 29, ELI held an Associates Seminar to discuss the components and implications of the Healthy Forest Initiative. John Watts (Legislative Counsel, Senator Feinstein) provided an overview of the specific measures of the legislation. Richard Pfilf (Executive Director, National Association of Forest Service Retirees) and Lisa Dix (National Forest Program Director, American Lands Alliance) explained their support for and opposition to the Healthy Forest Initiative. Roxanne Thomas (Science and Policy Analyst, ELI) moderated the discussion.