Brazil president toughens environmental enforement in Amazon

Brazil president toughens environmental enforement in Amazon
Posted 50m ago

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil's president signed two new decrees Tuesday aimed at cracking down on illegal deforestation in the Amazon.

The first decree gives inspectors the power to seize property and goods from people caught with illegally logged wood, and shortens the period during which landowners can appeal fines for environmental violations from eight years to one.

The other measure provides for more agents to police the vast Amazon basin, which covers an area larger than Western Europe. The number of new agents is still to be determined.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the measures are necessary to keep Brazilian soybeans and biofuels competitive worldwide, explaining that some consumers might boycott those goods if they feel their production is hurting the rain forest.

"Not protecting the environment would hurt Brazil's competitive advantage," Silva said. "We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/environment/2008-07-22-brazil_N.htm