Bush Pushes Proposal For Forest Policy

President Bush has given another push to his proposal for removal of brush and small trees in national forests to reduce fuel for wildfires. In his weekly radio address, the president followed up on his proposal made Thursday as he began three days of visits to Oregon and California. His plan would ease regulations for timber companies to remove highly flammable underbrush and trees from the most fire-prone forests. Environmentalists see such a move as just another excuse to allow more logging. Bush said that currently, “excessive red tape and endless litigation” is in the way of a common-sense forest policy. Bush finishes two days of appearances in California to raise funds for California Republicans on Saturday.