AUDIT CRITICIZED USFS TIMBER SALES
Efforts to reform U.S. Forest Service timber sales may gain momentum from a
sharply critical Jan. 15 report from the USDA Office of Inspector General
(OIG). The report could divide political and fiscal conservatives. The OIG
reviewed 12 sales from 1992 to 1996 in CA, MN, MS, VA, and WV. In 10 sales,
several measures to minimize environmental harm were not implemented. Also, 3
contracts authorized the harvesting of more trees than specified by the
agency's own environmental assessments. Agency critics and whistleblowers
claim the practices it details are widespread. Report:
<http://www.usda.gov/oig/auditrpt/0880110.pdf>. Executive summary:
<http://www.fguardians.org/news/oig-fs-0199.html>. USDA OIG, Nancy Bartel,
202-720-8112, or Carol Martin, 202-720-5242. Chris Wood, USFS, 202-205-1083.
Timber sale data: <http://www.fs.fed.us/land/fm>. Barry Polsky, American
Forest and Paper Assn., 202-463-2467. Andy Stahl, AFSEEE (Forest Service
whistleblower group), 541-484-2692. Advice from author and veteran reporter
Todd Wilkinson on localizing this story:
<http://www.sej.org/tipsheet/wilkinson.html>, 406-587-4876, or
<tawilk@aol.com>.