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Show Bennett Haps Clinton's Forest Service Lockup WASHINGTON, D.C. "Once again, President Clinton has shown disregard for the expertise and experience of the nation's professional land managers who have spent their careers protecting our natural resources and responsibly respon-sibly managing their public use," said Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah). Bennett's comment came following Clinton's Oct. 13 announcement that by executive order he was shutting off 40 million acres U.S. Forest Service lands, almost all of which is in the West. "Essentially," said Bennett, "the president has told them , 'regardless of your .professional opinion as to the best and healthiest use of these forests, you will reach the conclusion con-clusion I tell you to reach.' "Turning his back on the legally established process for wilderness designation, the president is attempting attemp-ting to create de-facto wilderness through regulatory means." Bennett said that while Clinton is trying to protect the lands, he is "loving them to death." he said, "By preventing mechanized access to these 40 million acres, more land than in the states of Arkansas and Massachusetts combined, he will guarantee the forests' vulnerability to catastrophic wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, decreased wildlife habitat and lower water quality. I doubt that is the kind of environmental envi-ronmental legacy the president would like to leave." |