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TODAY IN TAP ONLINE. Josh McDaniel reports on how sprawling McMansion developments are encroaching on forested areas, and making wildfires increasingly dangerous. But rather than step up funding to help the Forest Service keep these fires under control, the Bush administration has consistently slashed the agency's budget:
In recent years, firefighting costs have been taken to unprecedented heights that threaten to overwhelm the Forest Service's overall budget. Wildfire-related costs are expected to account for 44 percent of the agency's overall budget in 2007 -- up from 13 percent in 1991.But the Forest Service budget hasn't kept pace. In fact, under the Bush administration, the agency's budget has been steadily reduced. So as firefighting costs have risen, the Forest Service has been forced to absorb the increases through a 35 percent reduction in other programs since 2000. The programs that have been hit by cutbacks include wildlife habitat restoration, recreation, invasive species control, state and community assistance, prescribed fire, and managed natural fire -- some of the very projects that could help restore forest health and reduce many of the factors that are creating the conditions for large, 'catastrophic' wildfires in the first place.Read the whole thing here.Also today, Harold Meyerson explains how passing card-check legislation would help to end the economic stagnation faced by all but the wealthiest Americans.--The Editors
