https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/11/18/forest-service-wilderness-trump/
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a bedrock procedural law signed by President Nixon, has just been gutted by the U.S. Forest Service-USDA. The logging industry, oil and gas industry and other industrial “rapers and scrapers” have successfully lobbied for one giant free-fire development zone on any and all of the 193 million acres of nation forest system land under federal agency management.
Public participation is already being eliminated on huge proposed timber sales involving thousands of acres. Using exemptions in the new “Rule” huge clearcuts can now be repeated time and again with no cumulative effects analysis and little anyone can do to stop “wall-to-wall” destruction of that’s left of our national forest legacy.
Within days of the Rule change, the Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest (Montana) announced the “Boulder-Baldy Project” which would “treat” approximately 6,043 (13 is a “spook number”) acres of vegetation using a combination of intermediate and regeneration (clearcutting) harvest methods. They are planning on building 32.8 miles of new “temporary” roads. The agency announcement doesn’t say anything about submitting public comments but it states the public can contact the Ranger if they have any questions. There is no mention if this is a CE or an EA or an EIS.
This — killing things — must be the “new normal.” Same as the old normal.
Piece of Mindful 
I don’t know the meaning of the number 13, as it isn’t used in the same manner as 8, 11 and 33. But 32.8 miles is also expressing 13.
With the scamdemic if full force, we are essentially a nation without laws. One of the questions I intend to ask our local health department is how their regulations essentially gut the 1st (free assembly), 4th (privacy), and 9th (travel) Amendments to the constitution. What writing with force of law exists that allows a gubernatorial edict to supersede the Constitution?
LikeLiked by 1 person
13 is a favorite on the back of the $1 bill. 13 arrows, 13 olive branch leaves, 13 olive fruits, 13 stars above the eagle, 13 steps of the pyramid, and 13 bars on the shield. The words “annuit coeptis” and “e pluribus unum” both have 13 letters.
13 “colonies” represented by 13 stripes on the flag.
Why? I’m sticking with “what” this week.
LikeLiked by 2 people
https://missoulacurrent.com/outdoors/2020/11/forestry-plan-projects/
For anyone who thinks Democrats are kinder and gentler than Republicans when it comes to liquidating/subsidizing forest destruction for ideological fun and money, take a gander at the composition of the collaborative “diverse stakeholder group” Governor Bullock appointed. https://www.montanaforestactionplan.org/pages/council
Not a single member has ever fought against clearcutting, or resisted a single timber sale that I am aware of. They’re all neoliberal, “market-based,” imperial looters in one form or another. Wildlife, water, wilderness and all life is secondary to $$$$ with this bunch.
LikeLiked by 1 person