Statement on the Pacific Northwest Forest Management Plan

Today marks the beginning of a new era for the Pacific Northwest and for forestry management across our Nation.

With this decision, we begin efforts to restore the forests that make the region beautiful, productive, and utterly unique. We are taking the single most important step toward once again having a steady flow of timber to Pacific Northwest mills. At the same time, the plan provides for sustainable management of our Nation's precious natural resources.

This plan fulfills the commitment I made one year ago. It is environmentally credible and backed by the best available science. It meets the high standards required by Federal court and expected by the American people. It is a document that should move management of Federal forests out of the courts and into the hands of professional resource managers. Today's decision moves us from gridlock to growth, from obstructionism to opportunity.

The Secretaries' decision today offers a hopeful break from the past. It is just one element of a strong and comprehensive plan for the Pacific Northwest. Working closely with the Congress, my administration has forged powerful new partnerships with State and local governments in the region. We are creating new, wellpaying jobs in timber-dependent communities and are providing the certainty that investors and businesses in the region have so desperately needed. Our ties to the region and our commitment of financial support for the next 5 years will continue to provide the leadership for a full economic recovery.