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Forest issues seen as part of rural vs. urban 'war' |
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Written by Publisher
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Friday, 20 February 2009 |
Issues affecting the Allegheny National Forest are seen as part of a rural versus urban "war" at both the state and federal levels.
By Ted Lutz
Republican Staff
Issues affecting the Allegheny National Forest are seen as part of a rural versus urban "war" at both the state and federal levels.
This point was hammered home Thursday by speakers at the annual membership meeting for the Kane-based Allegheny Forest Alliance (AFA). About 40 braved snow-covered roads to attend the two-hour forum at the Kane Area High School auditorium.
U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Centre County) said the AFA needs to make "battle plans for the future" because there is what he calls "a war between rural America and urban America."
He said the "urban" side of the conflict has "a whole lot more soldiers than we do."
"Our rural area is under served and under represented," Thompson said.
He also believes the urban legislators are "good" at getting their point across and need to be challenged.
"They want to take every tree we have and put it in a museum," Thompson said facetiously in reference to efforts by preservationists to halt or limit timber harvesting in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF). He said some have "lost sight" of the ANF's primary purpose-- the production of timber.
Thompson said timber is "a wonderful renewable resource" that is "sustainable" through regeneration. He said timber harvesting is the "original green industry" in the U.S.
A freshman congressman from the State College area, Thompson was elected last November to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of Rep. John Peterson (R-Pleasantville). Thompson said he visited with Peterson in Pleasantville before coming to the AFA meeting.
State Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren) said she is "concerned about the push of environmentalists" who try to curtail timber harvests as well as oil and gas well development within the 513,000-acre ANF.
She said there "truly is" a rural versus urban conflict in the State Legislature.
Rapp, who represents Warren and Forest counties and the western end of McKean County, has the most constituents who live and work within the ANF-- the state's only national forest.
State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-DuBois), who won election in November over incumbent Democrat Dan Surra of Kersey, said the rural-urban war in the State Legislature is "very apparent" to him in his brief time in Harrisburg.
"The cities need us-- we're the source of the resources," Gabler said. He called for the "practical use" of local resources to "move us forward." He referred to the use of wood-burners such as the new one recently put into operation to heat Kane High School at a savings of at least $60,000 a year in fuel costs.
Gabler said rural Pennsylvania "better have a coordinated plan" when it comes to debating issues with urban representatives.
Jack Hedlund of Kane, the executive director of the AFA, said the conflict between "our rural society" and "urban society" is "a battle royal."
"We're outnumbered," Hedlund said. "That's the nature of the game."
He said Thompson, Rapp and Gabler-- as rural legislators-- are "shoveling sand against the tide."
Hedlund, a former Kane school administrator, has announced plan to retire from his AFA position within the next few months.
Hedlund pointed out that Congress created the ANF and other national forests "to produce wood."
He said the AFA, which represents schools, townships, counties and timber-related industries, needs to "pressure the Forest Service to do their job" of fostering timber harvests.
"We need to work harder on the Forest Service," he said. "That's the way I see it."
Hedlund said "preservationists" are trying to convert the ANF into "a park" with more "wilderness" areas.
A former Boy Scoutmaster,Thompson said he believes "we've got enough wilderness now." He claims the "wilderness" areas of the state are "underutilized."
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 30 July 2009 )
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