The US Senate has passed President Bush’s controversial “healthy forests” bill, which allows for more tree felling to prevent wildfires.
The legislation, approved by 80 votes to 14, will trigger US$760m of annual funding for tree thinning, limit judicial appeals of forestry projects and protect 20 million acres of old-growth forest. But environmentalists have criticised the bill as favouring logging companies.
President Bush will have to wait to sign the legislation because it differs from a version approved by the House of Representatives in May.
