[GreenYes] =?UTF-8?Q?Re:=20Fwd:=20=E2=80=9CSUSTAINABLE=20FORESTRY=E2=80=9D=20?==?UTF-8?Q?SCHEME=20=20=20BLASTED?=

[Grifola8@aol.com]

While we're on the subject of the Great American Forestry Conspiratocracy, I 
must take the opportunity to introduce the following:

A bitter public response to their January 12 Roadless Area Conservation 
amendments has the USDA and USFS doing some strategic backpedaling.  They've 
issued an "advance notice of public rule-making; request for comment," 
soliciting input that will supposedly be used to modify this and other 
policies.  The phrasing of this notice is very interesting: it incorporates 
many of the forester's favorite excuses for harvesting, yet fails to balance 
this content with equal representation of preservation/sustainability 
arguments (see attached).  How curious.

Nonetheless, this is an excellent opportunity for democratic input; by 
representing their own agenda so blatantly, the authors are merely holding up 
an easy target.  Those who'd like to join in some good, clean, verbal 
carpet-bombing fun should read the attachment, which is a reproduction of 
http://roadless.fs.fed.us/xcomments.shtml.  Other resources, including the 
formal "request for comment," can be accessed via this website.  Responses 
must be submitted by September 10, 2001.

Jon Phalen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An advance notice of proposed rulemaking is being issued to obtain public 
comment regarding the protection and management of inventoried roadless 
areas. Comments received will help the Forest Service determine the extent 
and scope of any future rulemaking. All interested parties are encouraged to 
express their views on inventoried roadless area management. In providing 
input, reviewers are especially asked to include responses to the following 
questions, which are framed around the key principles established by the 
Secretary and the issues raised by States, tribes, organizations, and 
individuals during the last comment period regarding Roadless values.

Note that the following 10 questions are optional. All comments referencing 
Roadless Areas will be considered. The questions are important issues that 
the Forest Service needs particular input on, but please do not feel all 
questions must be answered. It would be most helpful if questions being 
addressed were referenced by the respondent, but again not required. People 
commenting can either reformat the questions to suit their needs, send in 
independent roadless concerns not related to these specific questions, or 
simply download this page for easy reference. There is a direct link to the 
Roadless Email address at the bottom of the comment page for easy access. All 
written comment will be accepted and considered, whether through the Postal 
Service, FAX, or Email. Your participation is encouraged. 

1. Informed Decisonmaking. What is the appropriate role of local forest 
planning as required by NFMA in evaluating protection and management of 
inventoried roadless areas? 

2. Working Together. What is the best way for the Forest Service to work with 
the variety of States, tribes, local communities, other organizations, and 
individuals in a collaborative manner to ensure that concerns about roadless 
values are heard and addressed through a fair and open process? 

3. Protecting Forests. How should inventoried roadless areas be managed to 
provide for healthy forests, including protection from severe wildfires and 
the buildup of hazardous fuels as well as to provide for the detection and 
prevention of insect and disease outbreaks? 

4. Protecting Communities, Homes, and Property. How should communities and 
private property near inventoried roadless areas be protected from the risks 
associated with natural events, such as major wildfires that may occur on 
adjacent federal lands? 

5. Protecting Access to Property. What is the best way to implement the laws 
that ensure States, tribes, organizations, and private citizens have 
reasonable access to property they own within inventoried roadless areas? 

6. Describing Values. What are the characteristics, environmental values, 
social and economic considerations, and other factors the Forest Service 
should consider as it evaluates inventoried roadless areas? 

7. Describing Activities. Are there specific activities that should be 
expressly prohibited or expressly allowed for inventoried roadless areas 
through Forest Plan revisions or amendments? 

8. Designating Areas. Should inventoried roadless areas selected for future 
roadless protection through the local forest plan revision process be 
proposed to Congress for wilderness designation, or should they be maintained 
under a specific designation for roadless area management under the forest 
plan? 

9. Competing Values and Limited Resources. How can the Forest Service work 
effectively with individuals and groups with strongly competing views, 
values, and beliefs in evaluating and managing public lands and resources, 
recognizing that the agency can not meet all of the desires of all of the 
parties? 

10. Other Concerns. What other concerns, comments, or interests relating to 
the protection and management of inventoried roadless areas are important? 

DATES: 
Comments received in writing must be post-marked by September 10, 2001 - 60 
days from the publication date of July 10, 2001. The post-mark date is the 
basis of the cutoff date, and not the date of receipt. All emails and faxes 
must also be dated on or before September 10. 

For More Information, please contact Jody Sutton at 801-517-1023

ADDRESSES:
Send comments 

1) in writing by mail to 

USDA-Forest Service -- CAT 
Attention: Roadless ANPR Comments 
P.O. Box 221090, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84122 

2) via electronic mail to roadless_anpr@fs.fed.us

3) or via facsimile to 1-801-296-4090, Attention: Roadless ANPR Comments. 

All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are placed in the 
record and are available for public inspection and copying at Salt Lake City, 
Utah.