Patty Murray: “I would like to address my colleagues for a few minutes about an old subject that is about to undergo a new beginning. I…”

“I would like to address my colleagues for a few minutes about an old subject that is about to undergo a new beginning. I am referring to the forest management crisis in the Pacific Northwest. Many of you have been hearing about this issue for a long time. Some of you are probably tired of hearing about it. You are all quite aware that it has defied resolution over the past 5 years. Today could be the end of the conflict. I make that statement with very cautious optimism. This is the day the Clinton administration forest plan for the spotted owl forests of the Pacific Northwest goes to court for final judicial review. It has been a long process. Since the President convened his forest conference in Portland, OR, 1 year ago, the plan has been through every conceivably legal, regulatory, and bureaucratic twist and turn. Let me give you a sampling: Upon completion of the forest conference, the President created the Forest Ecosystem Management Assessment Team, charged with creating options for ecologically sound land management, based on the highest legal integrity, and capable of providing a long-term, sustainable timber supply for businesses and communities.”