Some environmental big wigs have called Jeff Kessler, head of the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, an obstructionist for not going along. He doesn't shy away from the charge. "You bet we're obstructionists," says Kessler. "We're obstructing the fruitless and environmentally damaging logging that won't significantly reduce risk to lives and property but that does mislead the public about fire safety, we're obstructing illegal activities by the Forest Service, we're obstructing stealth law making that erodes our important environmental laws and the checks and balances designed by our founding fathers, and we're obstructing the loss of important old-growth forest and wildlife habitat."

But here's where the story takes off to another level. It's not just the Black Hills that have been put at risk. What's good for Daschle's backyard, the chainsaw delegation in Congress argues, must be good for the rest of the nation. Thus a little backroom deal in South Dakota can quickly metastasize into a cancer that ravages forests from Vermont to Alaska.

"After hearing all the hand-wringing from environmentalists downplaying the impact of appeals and litigation, it's nice to see that the highest-ranking Democrat in the nation agrees that these frivolous challenges have totally crippled forest managers," said Rep. Scott McInnis, Colorado Republican and chairman of the House Resources subcommittee on forests and forest health. "It will be interesting indeed to find out if what's good for Mr. Daschle's goose is also good for the West's gander. We intend to find out."