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April 30, 2004
Healthy Forests
Click on the image above to check out our photo-based comments on the Forest Road 395 Salvage (one of the many illegal logging projects in response to the July 2003 windstorm). This is how it was submitted to the Forest Service but one thing I didn't explain in the comment is why the stumps in the salvage cut area are not sideways. This is because the Forest Service had the timber operator place them vertical for "scenic" reasons. Scenic what?
Posted by jkleissler at 05:28 PM | Comments (1)
April 29, 2004
Bush's Idea of a Healthy Forest
Today for the first time I walked the logging done at the Timberline ATV Trailhead and it was outrageous. The soil damage was pervasive everywhere and despite bright sun and a warm afternoon the soils were very soft and there was a lot of standing water in ruts as deep as two feet in places. For those who need a reference this is the same site that USDA Secretary Anne Veneman took a "tour" of last week.
By the end of my hike which started with a visit to the proposed salvage sites for the Forest Road 395 Salvage. I know this area fairly well and almost all of the salvage sites fall within East Side cutting units (which means one more entry by a skidder to rip up the forest soils). The stark contrast between the excessive soil compaction at the salvage site (cut by Collins-Pine by the way) and the soil conditions at the windthrow sites was as expected.
The Forest Service pays no heed to soils in this forest and this is more evidence of this. I'll post more details tomorrow as I pull this stuff together for our comments.
Posted by jkleissler at 10:24 PM | Comments (2)
April 26, 2004
ADP Table at CSC's Sci-Tech Festival a Big Success
The Allegheny Defense Project's table at the Carnegie Science Center's "Sci-Tech Festival" in Pittsburgh on Saturday, April 24th was a successful outreach to the community, and was an effective educational tool for the festival's target audience. Children from the pre-school through the early teen age groups enjoyed the "Succession of Vegetative Communities" activity board.
Karen Wood-Campbell helps a young festival participant with the ADP activity board.
Festival organizers were pleased with ADP's participation and were happy to see how well children of all ages interacted with the display and how many families gathered aruond ADP's table.
The display, titled "Succession of Vegetative Communities," shows a forest growing through time, passing through the following phases:
- Field/meadow
- Shrub/brush
- Young starter trees (pioneers)
- Young forest (established)
- Old-growth (climax) forest
Various bird and plant figures were provided as board pieces for participants. When kids approached, they were invited to place the birds and plants in their natural habitats on the board. The pieces attached to various locations on the board with velcro, and a chart was provided to help them. While the children participated, the tablers (and sometime's the kids' parents!) helped to explain how only certain plants and birds occur in specific phases of forest succession, and how rare a real old-growth forest actually is.
Close up of the "Succession of Vegetative Communities" Display Board.
Personally, it was gratifying to see the pleasure these kids showed on their faces while learning about habitats and animals. But more importantly, for some kids, the realization really clicked that there isn't that much old growth around any more, and some even made the connection themselves between that fact and the reasons (at least partial) for why the Indiana Bat is endangered and the Cerulean Warbler is on several watch lists.
The board was created by Karen Wood-Campbell, Ryan Little and Mary Kate Kelley.
Tablers were Karen Wood-Campbell and Ryan Little.
Posted by Ry Little at 10:44 PM | Comments (2)
April 24, 2004
FR 191 Salvage Comments
Thanks to all of those who wrote in to protest the U.S. Forest Service's illegal attempts to avoid meaningful public participation and environmental analysis in pushing through thousands of acres of salvage logging in response to the July 2003 Windstorm. We have posted our comments here in Rich Text Format: Download file
Posted by jkleissler at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 23, 2004
Rendell Comments on Eco-Tourism
Does Governor Rendell get it? I wonder if it takes someone coming in from outside of our area to actually understand that recreation and tourism is our number one industry tied to the Allegheny National Forest (even though the facts have pointed this out for some time) and that there is tremendous potential for growth. From the Warren Times-Observer (subscription required):
Rendell: ANF untapped opportunity for tourismBy DEAN WELLS Times Observer Staff Writer
Gov. Ed Rendell returned to Warren County on Wednesday to present a $200,000 check to the Northern Alleghenies Vacation Region's new visitor center located on Rt. 6 in Starbrick.
Rendell also discussed the First Industries Fund, part of his recently passed economic stimulus program that will utilize $150 million in loans, grants and guarantees to promote the state's tourism and agriculture industries.
"We have the ability to become the number one (destination) east of the Mississippi in eco-tourism," Rendell said. "We haven't tapped into the incredible opportunity in the Allegheny (National) Forest region."
...
The visitor center, which is scheduled to officially open on Memorial Day, is the largest visitor center currently located on scenic Rt. 6.
"This is a great step, a great step for Warren," Rendell said. "This fits in with our plans. In addition to the natural beauty (as a draw), we need an infrastructure. And that is a visitor center. We need this."
According to Rendell, he is scheduled to return to Warren County in the near future to shoot a television commercial at the Allegheny Reservoir that will promote the region in the Philadelphia area.
"Over 4.7 million people live in the Philadelphia area," Rendell said. "They spend a lot of money to leave the state to see things. For one-tenth of the price, they can see things in their own state. We think the returns can be absolutely phenomenal."
Now we appropriately criticized Rendell for his administration's baseless praise of Collins-Pine's status quo industrial tree farming operations. But this dedication to our leading industry tied to the national forest is a great positive. If you were to join these types of infrastructure projects with our Allegheny Wild! proposal which incorporates an appropriate balance of infrastructure projects and conservation on the Allegheny National Forest you will have created a fundamentally vital service to the future of our local economies.
Posted by jkleissler at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)
April 22, 2004
Send Secretary Veneman an Earth Day Message
Action Alert
Help Stop the Bush Administration from Using Earth Day to Exploit the Allegheny National Forest
The Forest Service is leading a tour with US Congressman John Peterson and Secretary of Agriculture Anne Veneman in order to promote illegal logging using the Bush Administration's Healthy Forests Initiative as cover. You can help fight this illegal logging today. Here is what you can do:
1) Protest these illegal logging proposals directly to the U.S. Forest Service
Two illegal salvage logging sales are currently up for public comment. The FR 191 Salvage and FR 395/396 Salvage would propose 63 acres of salvage logging in the Allegheny National Forest including along the Twin Lakes Recreation Area. These are only part of the Forest Service's effort to move forward with the salvage logging of up to 10,000 acres of downed trees within the Allegheny National Forest. Breaking down this larger effort into smaller projects to avoid more extensive public involvement and environmental analysis is illegal.
Write to:
Subject: FR 191 and FR 395/396 Salvage CEsForest Supervisor Kevin Elliott
Allegheny National Forest
PO Box 847
Warren, PA 16365
E-mail Supervisor Elliott
or use the ADP's Action Center to send comments immediately!
2) Support the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act
Enough is enough! Call you congressperson and ask them to permanently end this kind of abuse by signing the National Forest Protection And Restoration Act.
Help support efforts to end the abuse of our national forests and push for their restoration through the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act. The National Forest Protection and Restoration Act would help by ending the commercial logging program and replacing it with a national forest restoration program.
Help by getting your Congressional Representative to Co-sponsor this vital national legislation. Write your Congressional Representative and ask that they co-sponsor the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act.
3) Set Secretary Veneman Straight
No doubt that Secretary Ann Veneman's head was filled with all kinds of nonsense about how essential forest resources such as dead and downed trees are just "waste" or as US Congressman Peterson said in March.
What was once a magestic hard wood forest will simply be rotting wood on the forest floor." Help set Secretary Veneman straight on the vital role these dead and downed trees play in providing ecosystem roles in the forest.
Contact Anne Veneman:
202-720-3631
E-mail her
Share your messages to Venneman. Post them in the comments link below!
And look here for her press release
Update: While you are at it you might want to ask Secretary Veneman why a conservationist was threatened with arrest for trying to attend a media tour on public lands while special interest groups including the timber-industry funded Ruffed Grouse Society and the Pheasant Society are permitted.
Posted by jkleissler at 03:18 PM | Comments (1)
Sec. of Agriculture Tours Illegal Logging
April 22, 2004
For Immediate Release
Ryan Talbott or Jim Kleissler, Allegheny Defense Project, (814) 223-4996
Andrew George, National Forest Protection Alliance, (919) 933-3073
Jim Bensman, Heartwood, (618) 259-3642.
Secretary of Agriculture Tours Illegal Logging Projects, Shuts Out Public
Bush Administration’s Pro-Logging Agenda Threatening Endangered Forests
Kane, PA – Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and U.S. Congressman John Peterson used Earth Day as a platform to promote increased logging during a tour in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest today. The tour was geared toward promoting the Bush Administration’s “Healthy Forests Initiative”, which decreases opportunities for public participation and weakens environmental impact considerations in commercial logging projects in our national forests.
Conservation groups objected to the tour today noting that the highlighted projects were not legal even under the Bush Administration’s Healthy Forest Initiative. Ryan Talbott, a resident of Forest County and organizer with the conservation group Allegheny Defense Project was prohibited from joining the tour and threatened with arrest for trying to observe this tour of public lands areas. The tour highlighted commercial logging proposed as a response to natural wind-storm events that felled trees last summer.
"A Forest Service law enforcement officer told me that if I did not leave immediately I would be arrested," said Talbott. "I was told that this tour on public land by public officials was by invite only and any attempt to join the tour with Congressman Peterson and Secretary Veneman would result in my arrest."
“Congressman Peterson and Secretary Veneman are touring a series of illegal salvage logging projects proposed for the Allegheny National Forest,” explained Jim Bensman from Heartwood, a national forest conservation organization that has successfully challenged the use of Categorical Exclusions such as those being promoted to push logging in the Allegheny. "The Forest Service is trying to break down timber sales into several small projects instead of doing the detailed analysis that is normally required for a logging project of this size."
Allegheny National Forest projects which are being used to "Categorically Exclude" salvage logging from more detailed public involvement and environmental analysis include Martin Run, FR191 Salvage, and FR 395/396 Salvage. Attempts to Categorically Exclude salvage logging within the Martin Run project were withdrawn after it was pointed out that the activities were illegal. Public comment is currently being accepted on the FR 191 Salvage until April 23 and the FR 395/396 Salvage until April 30th. The Categorical Exclusion allows the Forest Service to hold shorter public comment periods, limit comment opportunities to a single time-frame, and avoid detailed environmental assessments.
"These windstorm events serve a valuable function, as they provide downed woody debris otherwise missing throughout much of the Allegheny National Forest," said Rachel Martin, a naturalist with the Allegheny Defense Project. "Ecologically, dead and downed wood is as important to a healthy forest as live trees. Dead and downed trees provide important habitat for birds, salamanders, and small mammals, and are a vital source of nutrients for tree seedlings."
Conservation Groups pointed out that "salvage logging" is an economic, not an ecological term. Salvage logging is performed to "salvage" the economic value of trees before it is lost. The term salvage logging has no direct relationship to forest health.
"The Bush Administration's publicity stunt makes a mockery of Earth Day by encouraging more industrial logging in US National Forests ," said Andrew George, campaign coordinator for the National Forest Protection Alliance who identified the Allegheny National Forest as the most endangered national forest in a report released three years ago. "If the Bush Administration celebrates clearcutting on Earth Day, it tells you something about their logging agenda for the rest of the year. They honor Earth Day by pushing more logging in public lands and removing citizen rights over those lands."
Nationally, conservationists are urging President Bush to announce on Earth Day an end to old growth logging and support for protecting the nation’s remaining wild forest heritage. For a complete review of administration policies that threaten forests, please see The Wilderness Society report "Bush Administration Record on America's National Forests."
###
Posted by jkleissler at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)
Peterson Leads Anti-Forest Tour
Congressman John Peterson is leading an anti-forest tour including the Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and the news media today to promote salvage logging in the Allegheny National Forest. This is our apparent Earth Day 2004 treat - as the Congressman's reported comments include complaints about those dead trees "rotting" and being "wasted" in the forest. That is right, for Earth Day 2004 Congressman John Peterson is advocating that we remove downed trees vital to forest health. At least you know where he stands I guess...
Oh, and I should mention that ADP Hellbender Ryan Talbott is on the case! At least he is trying/hoping to catch up with the "tour". It would be nice to have someone explain forest ecology to Peterson.
Update: Ok, we were forwarded the press release. Here is the goods:
VENEMAN HIGHLIGHTS HEALTHY FOREST INITIATIVE DURING EARTH DAY TOUR OF ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FORESTSAnnounces Funding for Continued Research
KANE, Pa., April 22, 2004—Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today toured forest health projects on the Allegheny National Forest and visited a state-of-the-art local mill processing some of the forest’s world-class black cherry wood to view first hand implementation efforts of President Bush’s Health Forest Initiative.
Veneman also announced the allocation of an additional $55,000 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service’s Kane Experiment Station for continued research implementing the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.
“The Bush Administration is working hard every day, not just on Earth Day, to enhance our natural resources, including protecting forest health,” Veneman said. “By working to ensure healthier forests, we are providing future generations with cleaner air and water, improved wildlife and fish habitat, healthier watersheds and wetlands and places for recreation. These efforts also benefit local economies.”
Veneman, joined by U.S. Congressman John Peterson and other community leaders, visited several timber salvage and regeneration projects in areas of the Allegheny blown down by a severe windstorm last July that are also experiencing mortality from insects and diseases and prolonged and repeated drought. The forest, which comprises of 513,000 acres, used the new limited timber harvest categorical exclusion under the Healthy Forest Initiative to help the priority projects move forward more quickly. The group also toured the high-tech Kane Hardwood mill, which is using scanners, optimizers and computer-operated saws to maximize products from raw logs.
The Forest Service’s Kane Experimental Forest (Warren, Penn.), in collaboration with scientists from several universities, will use the additional funds announced by Secretary Veneman to study the economic and ecological problems created by the windstorm and to develop a long-term salvage strategy for future disturbances in northeast forests. The windstorm affected about 300 acres of the Kane Experimental Forest making them at risk for insects and disease.
In August 2002, President Bush announced the Healthy Forests Initiative
(http://www.fs.fed.us/projects/hfi/) pledge to care for America’s forests and rangelands, reduce the risk of catastrophic fire to communities, help save the lives of firefighters and citizens and protect threatened and endangered species while upholding environmental standards and encouraging early public input during review and planning processes. President Bush signed the Healthy Forests Restoration Act http://www.fs.fed.us/projects/hfi/field-guide/web/ into law in December 2003, granting the USDA Forest Service and Interior Department agencies new authority to address the forest health crisis across 20 million acres of federal land. The Act is the first major forest-management legislation in a quarter century.
Well, thankfully they are allowing the research to be done by the same unbiased research station that has brought us 30 years of studies on how to best farm the forest for black cherry!
Update 2: Question: What exactly can you do when your Secretary of Agriculture is completed dissected from reality?
Update 3: The Forest Service LEOs threatened to arrest Ryan for showing up at the anti-forest tour - just for being there on public lands! Can someone please remind them of the Constitution!
Update 4: Not sure how I missed the "Fact" Sheet.
Posted by jkleissler at 10:59 AM | Comments (1)
April 20, 2004
Minor Site Adjustments
We've made a couple of minor changes to the blog that might be useful. They are all located in the right sidebar.
We have added a listing of the upcoming public comment deadlines. We'll do our best to also provide some insight on these projects but we don't always have time for that. Note that there are two comment deadlines on this Friday. We'll do our best to get something up asap although it doesn't look like we'll have it up until at least tomorrow night.
This isn't new but we've tweaked the code so that it updates automatically and includes the number of postings under each category. Of course, we still have to make sure that we're properly categorizing posts. eh hem..
We have also added a "recent comments" listing which shows the last five comments on the blog. This should make it easier for the Forest Service to find your recent rants against their management practices. Oh well, you know what I mean.
Posted by jkleissler at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)
Pennsylvania Mine Lands
First, without ambivalence, are you kidding me?
BOARD APPROVES EXPANSION OF MINING PROJECT IN LYCOMING COUNTY
The Board of Game Commissioners awarded a 10-year coal surface mining lease on a 159-acre section of State Game Lands 75 in Pine Township, Lycoming County to the Fisher Mining Company of Montoursville.The mining operation is anticipated to remove about 711,720 tons of coal from the 159-acre project area; mining will occur on less than half this acreage. The larger portion of the tract will be used for erosion and sedimentation control, surface and groundwater monitoring and operational support.
The accumulated royalty value of this proposed mining acreage has been estimated to be $2.17 million. All merchantable timber that will be cut or impacted by mining operations will be assessed by PGC personnel at twice the stumpage value and subsequently purchased and removed by Fisher Mining.
Mining will be regulated by the state's Surface Mining Regulations and the agency's standard surface mine lease agreement, and is covered by a $25,000 performance bond. The lease also includes surface and groundwater monitoring requirements and protection measures and two in-stream alkaline addition enhancement projects in the upper watersheds of Otter and Buckeye runs, which are adjacent to the project area.
In addition, two passive treatment systems will be constructed to improve water quality from mine drainage discharges that flow into Shingle Mill Branch and Buckeye Run; and a stream-bank stabilization project will be conducted on Little Pine Creek.
Of course, this isn't surprising for anyone familiar with the mis-management of Pennsylvania's State Game Lands. And I'd like to see more details on this project which seems like an overkill of bartering.
BOARD APPROVES TWO PROJECTS TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT
The Board of Game Commissioners today approved a mineral rights/oil and gas assignment exchange in Indiana County and a coal refuse reclamation lease amendment for a project in Dauphin County.Under the mineral rights/oil and gas assignment exchange, Joseph C. Clark of Glen Campbell received a two-year assignment of shallow oil and gas rights on a 99.6-acre parcel of State Game lands 262 in Banks Township, Indiana County. Clark may drill up to two wells, and is required to reclaim the area with a pre-approved wildlife habitat enhancement plan sanctioned by the Commission when operations are completed. The oil and gas rights will revert to the Game Commission, if a well has not been drilled within two years.
In exchange for the limited oil and gas rights, Clark will transfer to the Commission all his coal and surface- and deep-mining rights to two parcels of land in Banks and neighboring Montgomery townships. The first parcel is for the rights below a 126-acre tract located on the northern reaches of SGL 262; the second provides rights for 53.76 acres on SGL 262, as well as 70.3 acres located under privately-owned lands.
The exchange is expected to further safeguard wildlife habitat and recreational use values for about 178 acres of SGL 262.
Under the coal refuse reclamation lease amendment approved by the Board of Game Commissioners, Meadowbrook Coal Company of Lykens will be permitted to mine, remove and sell stone from the current coal refuse reclamation project it's conducting on SGL 264 in Wiconisco Township, Dauphin County. In exchange, Meadowbrook will perform reclamation and wildlife habitat enhancement work on SGL 264.
Most of the rehabilitative work will focus on dangerous mine subsidence holes that pockmark SGL 264. These holes are currently posted with restricted area signs and perimeter fences, but still present a potentially dangerous condition for visitors. Meadowbrook will work to remedy these subsidence holes.
Posted by jkleissler at 06:30 PM | Comments (0)
April 19, 2004
Clearcutting the Allegheny National Forest
Stop the madness! This map shows all of the areas clearcut in the last 50 years. Areas clearcut within the last 20 years shown in red and areas clearcut between the early 1950s and 1980s are shown in yellow. Keep in mind that it is an age class map and therefore also shows areas hit by tornados and other wind events. Also, just because an area isn't red or yellow doesn't mean it hasn't been cut, it just means it hasn't been clearcut yet.
Posted by jkleissler at 04:40 PM | Comments (1)
Success - CE Withdrawn
Good news folks! The Forest Service has apparently withdrawn attempts to Categorically Exclude from environmental analysis a salvage operation as part of the Martin Run Timber Sale. Instead they will do what is legally required - prepare the environmental impact statement before proceeding. Here is the letter:
Dear Interested Party, You were a recent respondent to our request for comments about the Bradford Fence Salvage Project (our scoping letter dated March 5, 2004). I have reviewed the responses received and have decided not to continue with the analysis of the timber salvage sale portion of this project. However, we will proceed with the repair/reconstruction of the fences to protect developing seedlings. Fence repair/reconstruction can occur without a new decision. The blown down and leaning trees will be removed from the fences prior to repair work to ensure safe operating conditions and to reduce the potential for further impacts to the fences. The salvage of wood from the blown down and/or leaning trees will be addressed in the Martin Run Project EIS. If you have any questions pertaining to this project, please contact O’Dell Tucker of my staff at the above listed address or at (814) 362-4613 ext. 125.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in to comment on the proposed CE.
Posted by jkleissler at 04:03 PM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2004
New ATV Trail Proposed
The Forest Service has proposed the "Willow Creek ATV Trail Expansion Project" up at South Branch Willow Creek in the northeast part of the Allegheny. I don't have a map to post right now but calling this an expansion is a bit misleading since I believe the "expansion" alone will be much longer (and spread out over much more national forest land) than the trail that exists there.
This of course has serious repercussions from a conservation point of view. The impact of ATVs on natural resources including wildlife habitat and stream quality are well documented. In truth this project is a total outrage in that regard.
The consequences are also very severe from public health and safety. This is already a major issue for the Allegheny. There have already been numerous documented injuries and at least one death on the forest due to rampant ATV use - particularly by minors. The trails are often poorly maintained and require extensive police force. Experience shows that more trails simply means more illegal use. And it also means more conflicts with other users - ATVs undermine the public's ability to use and enjoy the national forest.
It is also important to recognize that the development of these trails on private lands has really taken off and therefore public lands ATV trails are becoming unnecessary. This is why ADP has taken a position that there should be no new ATV trails in the Allegheny. The Bureau of Forestry has adopted an ATV trail moratorium on the state forests for this very reason.
The Forest Service is increasing responsiveness on these issues but they are still far, far short of where they need to be to be building more trails. And although we have not opposed these trails in the past the ATV groups have not shown a good example in responding to our concerns. For example, we raised concerns about the Tour de Forest, an ATV trail ride sponsored by the Marienville Fire Department. We didn't oppose it but asked that measures be taken to enhance public health and safety and environmental conservation. Instead we got this:
Sadly, my understanding is that one of the recent rides also had a fatality. This is unacceptable. ADP is not opposed to ATV riding in the Allegheny (though maybe we should be based on the evidence) but we do feel that there should be no new trails and riding should only be permitted so long as the ATV community shows more responsible ridership. Accountability is something that is a mandate for public lands management.
Posted by jkleissler at 05:24 PM | Comments (6)
Leaving out the Public
Over the last few years the Forest Service has developed a "policy" on the Allegheny National Forest of never telling you when the expiration of a public comment period is - or very rarely. So we do our best to calculate these time periods based upon the info we have and often end up calling the newspapers (and spending our own money) or asking the Forest Service to verify the deadlines. This is a waste of time and energy and confusion that can be resolved by the Forest Service providing a clear deadline for public comments consistent with public law requirements for notice and a 30-day public comment period. It isn't hard to do, it just requires a little bit of professionalism.
And so I got this letter today:
Dear Mr. Kleissler:On March 26, 2004, we received your comments on the Trails End ReEntry Environmental Assessment (EA) and a copy of the Appeal that the Allegheny Defense Project submitted on the original Trails End Environmental Assessment in 1994. You sent these comments as a representative for the Allegheny Defense Project in Clarion, Pennsylvania. Your comments were sent Certified Mail/Return Receipt and the envelope postmark is clearly March 25, 2004. The cover letter enclosed with your comments was dated March 24, 2004. In calculating the dates we find that your comments were not submitted in a timely manner. The Forest published a Legal Notice in the Ridgway Record on February 20, 2004, thus the last day for submitted comments was March 22, 2004. This due date is in accordance with 36 CFR 215.6(4)(i), which notes that "...Written comments must be postmarked by the Postal Service, emailed, faxed, or otherwise submitted by 11:59pm on the 30th calendar day following publication of the legal notice for proposed actions to be analyzed or documented in an EA...". Therefore, pursuant to 36 CFR 215.6(b)(1), your comments will not be considered in the "Response to 30-day Comments" for the Trails End ReEntry EA.
I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions regarding your comments to Trails End ReEntry EA or their processing.
Sincerely,
Leon Blashock, District Ranger
And so, it turns out, that the Forest Service is now saying that our comments on the Trails End Re-Entry are late. Are you kidding? Are the public comments we provided ten years on time? How about the appeal we filed in 1995 - was that on time? This is disturbing because this Environmental Assessment is illegal under all current legal standards. Although the law hasn't changed since 1995 the courts have clearly clarified it in a variety of lawsuits we have filed since. The Trails End Re-Entry EA doesn't meet that basic standard.
No obviously we erred on this one. And I am largely to blame I think. But it is pretty ridiculous and petty to ignore our comments for being two days late no matter what legal parsing of terms makes it ok. I have little faith in the current management leadership in the Allegheny National Forest - it as bad as its been since I've been active in Allegheny National Forest management issues. In any case we are on record for commenting on the Scoping Notice and of course we are on record for having appealed this project historically.
In summary, it is pretty obvious that we are going to have to play hard ball with them if they are going to play hard ball with us. Just keep in mind that this is how they will handle late letters regardless of why they are late.
Posted by jkleissler at 04:02 PM | Comments (1)
Herbicide & Logging "Study" Info Now Posted
The Forest Service responded pretty promptly to my complaint. The info about the herbicide & logging study (does this "study" even have control sites?) is posted here. Click on the map below to see where the "study" sites are.
And, yes, I've figured out a quick and easy way to post these maps (at least so long as they are already available electronically).
Posted by jkleissler at 03:46 PM | Comments (0)
More Illegal Salvage Planned
The Forest Service has basically opened up a systemic categorical exclusion plan for salvage logging to allow continuous salvage without the normally required detailed environmental impact study required by law. This is from their press release:
The Marienville Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest (NF) is proposing to salvage harvest approximately 17 acres of down and damaged trees along Forest Roads (FR) 138 and 191 in Warrants 3217 and 3252 in Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania. These down and damaged trees will be harvested within 200 feet of the roads. These trees were damaged in a severe storm that occurred last July.
In other words, just like the illegal logging already implemented under various existing timber contracts, the illegal logging proposed in the Martin Run Categorical Exclusion, and the salvage logging (legality to be proven) planned for the Spring Creek project the Forest Service is planning more illegal salvage logging in response to last summer's wind storms.
Click on the map to view a larger version:
To download the Scoping Notice click here.
Posted by jkleissler at 03:37 PM | Comments (0)
Save Oregon Wild Country!
The NY Times has coverage of the Biscuit sale in Oregon - this is one of the most absurd timber projects in history. After reading the Times go over to the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center and help fight this monstrosity.
Posted by jkleissler at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2004
Forest Service misleads public - again
In an effort to bolster public support for more logging in national forests in response to fires in the west, the Forest Service released a photo showing a thinned forest that they claim represents what forests in the Sierra Nevada looked like before European settlement.
The logic? Well, thinned forests existed then and now they are "overcrowded" and need to be restored to what they once were.
However, there is just a couple problems with what the Forest Service did. First, the photo that was used to represent what pre-European settlement of the Sierra Nevada looked like was taken after the area had been logged!
Second, the photo was taken in Montana - not the Sierra Nevada! When called on the misleading representation, Forest Service spokesman Matt Mathes said:
“Our goal here was to ... increase the clarity and understandability of our message. We needed to be accurate but not necessarily precise to the 99th degree.”
Sounds like post-invasion Iraq failing the discovery of any weapons of mass destruction.
Posted by Ryan at 04:56 PM | Comments (0)
Herbicide Diversity Project
Submitted today (we'll post the info when we get it):
Supervisor Elliott,On your website there is a notice titled "FORESTRY SCIENCES LAB AND ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST TO START HERBICIDE DIVERSITY STUDY REMOVAL PROJECT."
We would like to provide public comment on this proposal. However, we have received no notice of this proposed project as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.
Furthermore, while the notice states that "Maps to locate the forested stands are available on the Allegheny NF website at /r9/allegheny under Projects and Planning". However, there is no information at that location of your website.
Please ensure that the proper legal notice is provided for this project with the appropriate detailed information required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Furthermore, once a proper notice is provided please ensure a minimum of 30 days from that date for public comment.
Thank you,
Jim Kleissler
Update: Response from the Forest Service...
The scoping/30-day comment letter was mailed on Thursday, April 8, 2004 and the legal notice should have appeared in The Derrick and The Bradford Era on April 8, 2004 or April 9, 2004. And it should be posted to the website within the next day or so.
Perhaps the Forest Service will now stop doing press releases for things that haven't happened yet. Hint: usually it helps to do something before you advertise doing it. (Thanks to Forest Service for the detailed response.)
Text of Forest Service Announcement:
FORESTRY SCIENCES LAB AND ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST TO START HERBICIDE DIVERSITY STUDY REMOVAL PROJECT
Ridgway, Pa. -- The Forestry Sciences Laboratory of the Northeastern Research Station and the Allegheny National Forest (NF) are beginning analysis for proposed activities for the Herbicide Diversity Study Removal Project. This research study proposes to remove the overstory trees on ten 16 to 20 acre Allegheny hardwood stands, and then document changes in wildlife and plant communities following the removal of the overstory trees. These same ten stands are part of an existing herbicide diversity study started ten years ago to study the responses over time of wildlife and plants in managed forests. This second step in the long term research will provide additional valuable information on the regeneration of forested stands of trees.
The stands proposed for the study are located on the Bradford and Marienville Ranger Districts in Elk, Forest and McKean Counties. Maps to locate the forested stands are available on the Allegheny NF website at /r9/allegheny under Projects and Planning, or hard copy maps can be obtained from Kevin Treese at USDA-Forest Service, Marienville Ranger District, Ridgway Office, 1537 Montmorenci Road, Ridgway, Pa., 15853, or by calling 814/776-6172, X124.
The public is invited to provide comments on this proposal as part of public involvement under the National Environmental Policy Act. District Rangers Leon Blashock and John Schultz have determined that the most effective time for the comment period is now, and this news release constitutes notice of opportunity to comment on the Herbicide Diversity Study Removal Project (36 CFR 215.5). There are no plans for a second comment period. The opportunity to comment ends 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice in The Derrick (Oil City, Pa.) and The Bradford Era (Bradford, Pa.) newspapers. We anticipate this date to be April 5th. It is the responsibility of the commentor to verify date of publication of the legal notice.
Please provide comments specific to the proposed action, or have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and include your supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider. Individuals interested in providing written comments on items of interest or concern should mail them to: Attn: Leon F. Blashock, Herbicide Diversity Study Removal Project, Marienville Ranger District, Ridgway Office, 1537 Montmorenci Road, Ridgway, Pa., 15853, or at 814/776-6172, X134. FAXed comments must be sent to: Leon F. Blashock at 814/772-7387. E-mail comments must be sent to comments-eastern-allegheny-marienville@fs.fed.us Subject: Herbicide Diversity Study Removal Project. Oral and hand delivered comments must be received between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please contact Kevin Treese at 814/776-6172, X124, if you have questions.
Posted by jkleissler at 04:34 PM | Comments (1)
April 03, 2004
20 Nobel Laureates and One Political Hack
The Washington Post has a piece in this morning's edition regarding the Bush Administration's response to the Union of Concerned Scientists Report on the administration's mis-use of science. This part in particular was so over the top I nearly fell out of my chair:
As with the UCS document, Marburger's rebuttal is a blend of footnoted scientific documentation and personal assertions. Together, the two documents offer a reminder that science is a mix of fact and interpretation -- and that at times it can be difficult to tease the two apart.
Here is a little perspective on the respective authors:
President Bush's chief science adviser fired back yesterday at a scientists' advocacy group that had accused the administration of distorting facts to support a conservative political agenda.In a statement released with a 17-page, point-by-point rebuttal, John H. Marburger III, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the response aimed to "correct errors, distortions and misunderstandings" in the Feb. 18 report of the Washington-based Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
...
The UCS report gained extra attention because its release was accompanied by a supporting letter signed by more than 60 scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates. Although Marburger initially dismissed it as "a collection of more or less disconnected cases" -- and suggested that some scientists had simply had "their feathers ruffled" -- he also promised the detailed response that came yesterday.
Yep, Bush's political appointee hack gets the same "equal" consideration as 20 Nobel Laureates.
Posted by jkleissler at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
April 02, 2004
Ignoring Empirical Evidence
OK, if you haven't heard by now District Court Judge William Standish issued a final decision in the East Side litigation ruling against ADP on 9 of 10 counts, and in our favor on one count. His decision essentially adopted the most recent Recommendation from Magistrate Sensenich as law. This is disappointing given how much of a complete reversal the Magistrate's recent Recommendation was from her original Recommendation which ruled in our favor on 7 of 10 claims.
Although we're disappointed that the Court would rule against us on so many claims, the count we prevailed on is significant. In that finding, the Court ruled that even-aged management (logging methods that emphasize clearcutting in the end) could not be used on wet soils or in riparian areas because it violated the Allegheny National Forest management plan. This will protect hundreds of acres every year from here on out.
And then there are these inane comments from our US Congressman John Peterson:
PETERSON SUPPORTS ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST DECISION -- In a recent decision, the U.S. District Court of Western Pennsylvania ruled in favor of the U.S. Forest Service in a lawsuit filed by the Allegheny Defense Project to stop the East Side Project. According to Peterson, "While it has been a long time coming, this decision is a victory not only for our communities who depend on jobs and timber revenues, but for the Allegheny National Forest which will benefit from having professional stewards actively working to reduce the spread of disease, improve wildlife diversity, and promote a healthy, sustainable forest for our children and grandchildren to enjoy."
His entire commentary is full of claims and inuendo not backed up by the facts. For example, his claim that logging in the Allegheny National Forest is essential to "our communities who depend on jobs and timber revenues" is completely bizarre. While our communities obviously rely on jobs the research conducted by independent economists have shown that commercial logging in the Allegeny National Forest has no relationship to job production in our communities. If anything commercial logging has negative repercussions for our leading industries in recreation and tourism.
Just as ridiculous is Peterson's claim that "...the Allegheny National Forest which will benefit from having professional stewards actively working to reduce the spread of disease, improve wildlife diversity, and promote a healthy, sustainable forest for our children and grandchildren to enjoy." There is nothing in the East Side project that would "reduce the spread of disease" (in fact salvage logging of American beech will most likely exacerbate the distribution of non-native pests and increasing densities of black cherry will make the forest more susceptible to disease - a fact the Magistrate acknowledges). The notion that the East Side project will "improve wildlife diversity" is contradictory to the factual record. And Peterson's final claim that it would "promote a healthy, sustainable forest for our children and grandchildren to enjoy" is simply empty rhetoric with no basis in reality.
Peterson's empty, fact-less rhetoric does nothing to further the issues the our communities face in resolving problems in current Allegheny National Forest management.
Posted by jkleissler at 06:43 PM | Comments (0)