[MCN] Trump's Agriculture Pick Could Undo National Forest Protections

[Lance Olsen]

Trump's Agriculture Pick Could Undo National Forest Protections

Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue's policies in his state favored the 
timber industry and ignored the climate implications of the loss of 
forests, opponents argue.
BY GEORGINA GUSTIN, INSIDECLIMATE NEWS
FEB 7, 2017

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/06022017/sonny-perdue-georgia-usda-agriculture-secretary-national-forest-service-climate-change

Excerpt

"Undoubtedly there will be a lot of pressure on [Perdue] to open up 
more national forest to logging, said Alan Rowsome, senior government 
relations director at The Wilderness Society. "Conservatives in 
Congress are looking to ways to incentivize more timber, cutting back 
regulations and rules that are designed to protect the American 
public's interest in making sure those lands are available. He's 
going to have to deal with that push-and-pull."

Perdue made the rounds on Capitol Hill last week, meeting with 
senators who he'll face in a confirmation hearing, which has not yet 
been scheduled. They discussed opening up more federal lands to 
timber. Perdue's cousin, Sen. David Perdue, (R-Ga.), heads the 
subcommittee that oversees forestry under the Senate Agriculture 
Committee.

If confirmed, Perdue will help craft the agency's budget and steer 
its priorities. Yet more important, perhaps, is his choice for deputy 
undersecretary for natural resources and environment. That person 
directly oversees the operations of the Forest Service.

"That person will really run the Forest Service. We hope he thinks 
long and hard about that, and it's not someone whose background is in 
timber or logging," Rowsome said. "That will send a big signal about 
what his philosophy will be on national forests."

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/06022017/sonny-perdue-georgia-usda-agriculture-secretary-national-forest-service-climate-change
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transforming the country into a developed nation, he meant that it 
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Steven Bergman. "Thriving Malaysia Propels an Office-Tower Boom In 
Its Biggest City,
and You Know What Follows a Boom," Barron's, August 12, 1996.
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