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December 31, 2003

Public Comment Periods

Filed this this morning with Supervisor Elliott:

Kevin,

I am writing to formally request that the public comment period for the Sugar Run Draft Environmental Impact Statement be extended. NEPA regulations require that the EIS and/or Summary of the EIS be mailed out to interested persons/commentors and that those commentors be allowed 45 days to provide public comment. Despite the fact that we commented on the Sugar Run Scoping Notice we did not receive a Summary or EIS and had to request a copy. This is a clear violation of the NEPA and we are writing simply to request that we be provided the full 45 days for comment.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Jim Kleissler

NEPA is short for the National Environmental Policy Act. If anyone else has had problems with receiving documents please let us know.

Posted by jkleissler at 11:50 AM | Comments (0)

December 30, 2003

Annual Report

Well, the US Forest Service's Allegheny National Forest 2002 Annual Report is finally out (more than one year after the fiscal year 2002 closed). It has a new format which is shorter which is just as well since the previous Annual Reports were nothing more than an extended volume of propaganda. That said, its not clear why it would take more than a year to put together an eight page report.
Even with eight pages, the Forest Service couldn't resist stretching reality. For example, page 5 claims that "Survey known Indiana bat hibernaculum" is one of the activities that the Forest Service is "doing" in the Allegheny. But we know that this is a stretch for the activities completed in 2002. In addition, the same table suggests that several Conservation Assessments have been completed without explaining why there have been no management changes made to reflect this alleged accomplishment.
This paragraph summarizes the absurdity of this propaganda quite well:

Silviculturists-working together with researchers-have developed promising new strategies for dealing with tree mortality and the decline of hardwood forests. Along with key partners, the Allegheny has launched a new program designed to collect data on forest health to better assess conditions and trends in the health of forest ecosystems.

The only "strategy" that has been proposed in the present is the same one that was proposed in the past - salvage logging through even-aged clearcut management. Painter Run, Forest Wide Windthrow Salvage, and the new proposed Martin Run Timber Sales are all examples of this log first, worry about implications later attitude. As for the "key partners", I believe that they merely are referencing their timber industry partners who have agreed to help the Forest Service reduce deer numbers by increasing hunting (ok, I get that) and the use of even-aged logging (which just happens to increased localized deer populations).
The most useful information that comes out of this report is the logging data. Here is a chart showing the logging levels from 1987 to 2002 in the Allegheny National Forest by timber volume offered in bids, bids awarded, and actual timber cut:

You can download the Annual Report from the Forest Service website (pdf format, 1.9 MB - LARGE FILE!)

Posted by jkleissler at 03:54 PM | Comments (2)

December 28, 2003

Prescribed Fire Project Approved

UPDATE - The appeal deadline for the Prescribed Fire Project is February 10, 2004.

The Forest Service has approved the Prescribed Fire Project (otherwise known as Cut and Burn) for the Allegheny National Forest. District Ranger John Schultz signed the Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) selecting Alternative 2, the most impactive alternative.

Of course there is the possibility of significant impact, particularly considering if this so called experiment produces their desired results. If so, a completely unnatural disturbance regime could be adopted, much like the clearcut/herbicide regime for black cherry. Only this would be clearcut and burn for oak.

Here is a description of Alt. 2 from the Environmental Assessment:

Under this alternative, the administrative study would be implemented on five areas totaling 78 acres that examines the effects of prescribed fire on enhancing oak establishment. Approximately half of each area would be burned, with the other half used as a control to study the response to burning. This activity would be repeated two to three timbes in each area within a span of five years, depending on the seedling establishment. Under this alternative, a fence would be built to minimize deer browsing in one of the strudy areas. To promote and monitor seedling growth, reforestation practices such as site preparation and stocking surveys would occur as well. Once oak seedlings have become established, nearly all of the overstory would be removed from both the control and burned portion of each stand, allowing full sunlight conditions to reach the established seedlings and creating a single age class.

The key here is that last sentence. Where on the Allegheny Plateau does clearcutting and burning mimic nature? Forests in this area are not meant to have a single age class. The bottom line here is, of course, the bottom line. This project is completely designed to promote valuable oak trees for logging projects.

The appeal deadline is February 10, 2004

Posted by Ryan at 06:31 PM | Comments (0)

December 27, 2003

Opportunity for public comment on proposed coker in Warren

Members of the public are being asked to provide public comment on the proposed coker at United Refining's refinery in Warren, PA.

Comments can be sent to: Warren County CAP, P.O. Box 2782, Warren, Pa. 16365.

DEP approved the construction permit application despite concerns from the community about the risk to residents health and harm to the environment. The Warren County Quality of Life Coalition has appealed the permit.

Posted by Ryan at 01:25 PM | Comments (4)

December 26, 2003

National Fuel subsidiary ordered to halt logging operations

*NOTE: The quotes used in this entry are taken from the Bradford Era, but the link to that site was not working, so I was forced to use the AP article in the Miami Herald...go figure. You can also view the DEP press release for more information.

The Miami Herald disclosed on Christmas Day that Seneca Resources, a subsidiary of National Fuel, was ordered by the Department of Environmental Protection to halt logging operations in McKean, Elk and Cameron Counties for "numerous environmental violations".

"Both the number and type of violations are very significant, and Seneca has acted with disregard to erosion controls, stream and wetland impacts, and our Special Protection Waters program," DEP Regional Director Robert Yowell said.

This is a troubling revelation considering this company does a lot of logging in the Allegheny National Forest and surrounding forest lands, yet, as the DEP points out, failed to apply for known necessary permits:

"This company has done business for many years in Pennsylvania and knew that DEP permits were required for the timber harvesting work," Yowell said. "They ignored their environmental responsibilities."

It's unclear yet whether Seneca Resources will be fined or not but obviously they should be. It is simple procedural operation to apply for these permits and Seneca did not and now there are serious erosion and sedimentation problems. It will be nice to see if the system works in favor of the environment.

Posted by Ryan at 07:46 PM | Comments (2)

December 11, 2003

Defend Allegheny Wilderness!

The US Forest Service has proposed a very large timber sale immediately adjacent to the largest old growth tract in Pennsylvania in the heart of the Allegheny Defense Project's proposed Tionesta Wilderness Area. Please act today to help protect this National Natural Landmark!

Visit our Action Alert and Send Comments Now

If approved two miles of old growth boundary will be compromised by adjacent commercial logging. In the name of "forest health" the Forest Service would remove downed trees vital to restoring degraded soil health and important wildlife habitat. More than 1,000 acres is planned for the heart of the proposed Tionesta Wilderness Area.

In all, the Martin Run Timber Sale calls for 2,352 acres of commercial logging including more than 1,000 acres of clearcutting. The Forest Service also proposed new road construction, more than 1,000 acres of herbicide spraying, and 900 acres of release cutting (primarily for future timber management).

This is very important. Please write a letter to Forest Supervisor Kevin Elliott in protest of this egregious timber sale.

Write:
Supervisor Kevin B. Elliott
Allegheny National Forest
P.O. Box 847
Warren, PA 16365
kbelliott@fs.fed.us

Visit our Action Alert and Send Comments Now

Posted by jkleissler at 01:06 PM | Comments (0)

December 10, 2003

Congressman Continues Campaign of Mis-information

The Bradford Era erroneously reported Tuesday that the Allegheny is on its way to becoming an "endangered natural species" if trees blown down this summer are not removed.

The spacious Allegheny National Forest could soon become an endangered natural species if steps aren't taken to remove excess timber and redefine forest management techniques.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., told The Era the forest could face devastating wildfires similar to those experienced out West if the significant amount of timber that was blown down during this summer's storms isn't cleared out.

Congressman Peterson is deliberately lying in order to increase salvage sales. On a tour held by the Forest Service a few weeks ago, Forest Service employees themselves said that the Allegheny is in no way in danger of wildfire. So, where is the Congressman getting his information? The truth is, he is simply making it up for political points with the timber industry.

The sad thing is this reporter wrote an op-ed column on the front page of the paper. This is a complete dis-service to the people of this region.

Ryan

Posted by Ryan at 12:17 PM | Comments (6)