The JCPA supports the establishment of a system of interconnected, strictly protected biological preserves on land, in fresh water, and in the sea; the management of both public and private lands to preserve and restore biological diversity; and a strengthened Endangered Species Act.

The United States already has lost 96% of its old-growth forests. Forest ecosystems provide refuges for thousands of endangered and threatened creatures and plants and are vital to the protection of clean water sources for tens of millions of North Americans. Most of the remaining old growth forests in the U.S. are in National Forests. Over 377,810 miles of roads — enough to circle the Earth 15 times — crisscross the U.S. National Forests.

In October 1999, President Clinton instructed the Forest Service to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement concerning the preservation of roadless areas in National Forests across the nation. The initiative may protect as many as 60 million of the 192 million acres in the National Forest system from logging and other commercial development. The Administration is expected to issue a final policy before the end of 2000.

The Alaskan Congressional delegation is likely to put tremendous pressure on the Administration to exclude from the policy the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the largest and one of the most pristine national forests. The organized Jewish community will be called upon to join coalition partners to ensure that the final policy not only covers all national forests but that it maximizes the acreage of old growth forest habitats off limits to all damaging activities, including logging, mining, oil drilling, and road-building.

On the congressional front, champions of environmental protection lost a good friend and ally with the sudden death of Senator John Chafee (RI), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The FY 2000 appropriations process was used again as an opportunity by members of Congress to attempt passage of a wide array of anti-environmental provisions. The organized Jewish community will be called upon to continue to oppose legislation designed to weaken protection of public lands.

Frustrated by the lack of progress through government, conservation advocates increasingly are looking directly to the private sector. The organized Jewish community increasingly will be called upon to encourage businesspeople who are in the public eye because of environmental issues to demonstrate leadership that advances both environmental protection and traditional community relations goals.