July 24, 2014 Dear Chief Tidwell and Regional Forester Krueger, Multiple nationwide surveys have been taken to determine if the public will accept clearcuts in their national forests. The results were clear. The surveys showed most members of the public don’t want their forests logged. When they responded to the clearcutting question there was near unanimous agreement that the national forests must not be clearcut … for any reason. As the indented quote from the proposed new Forest Plan indicates below, Supervisor Brazell will: · exempt the Clearwater/Nez Perce National Forests from the 40 acre size maximum for created openings that applies to every other national forest in America, · hardwire 1,500 acre clearcuts as part of the new Forest Plan, · allow clearcuts of unlimited size as a response to catastrophic conditions, where supervisor Brazell defines “catastrophic conditions,” If this weren’t enough, Supervisor Brazell has another gift for the recreating public. The proposed plan explains that when a District Ranger plans to clearcut an area that exceeds 1,500 acres, the proposal should be reviewed (no approved) by the Regional Forester and the public will be given 60-days public notice. I understand the revised Plan is in the early stage of development and changes can be made if the need is justified. Regional Forester Krueger, should anyone who unabashedly violates the public trust to serve special interests be leading a national forest? It seems that a caring forest supervisor wouldn’t think of such a thing as is being proposed here. The proposed new Forest Plan can be read at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3807168.pdf Page 54 of the proposed new Forest Plan states: “FW-STD-TBR-04. Where clearcutting, seed tree cutting, shelterwood cutting, or other cuts designed to regenerate an even-aged or two-age stand of timber are used, an exception to the 40-acre maximum size for openings that may be cut in one harvest operation is as identified in Table 18. Table 18. Maximum Opening Size that May be Cut in One Harvest Operation Conditions Average Opening Size (acres) HRV Opening Size (acres) Maximum Opening Size (acres) Breakland Types 60 1,500 150 Upland Mesic Conifers (GF/C/DF/WP/WL) 60 800 80 FW-STD-TBR-05. The maximum size for openings to be cut in one harvest operation shall not apply to the size of openings harvested as a result of natural catastrophic conditions, such as fire, insect and disease attack, or windstorm. FW-STD-TBR-06. These size limits can be exceeded on an individual timber sale basis after 60-days public notice and review by the regional forester.” I encourage the folks who are receiving a CC of this note who aren’t excited about seeing 2.3 square mile clearcuts to attend one of the meetings to discuss the proposed Forest Plan. The meeting schedule is shown below: * July 24, Forest Service office, Grangeville. * July 28, Idaho Department of Fish and Game office, Lewiston. * July 30, 1912 Center, Moscow. * Aug. 4, Lolo Middle School, Lolo, Mont. All meetings are from 6 to 8 p.m. Most members of the public aren’t aware of the abuse they are about to receive. Please write letters to the editor explaining the situation. Finally, I encourage anyone who reads this alert who does not want the Clearwater/Nez Perce National Forests clearcut to oblivion to forward this note to like minded friends. We need to significantly exceed the capacity of the meeting rooms scheduled by the USFS. Thanks, Dick Artley (retired forest planner, NEPA legal compliance reviewer, forest NEPA coordinator, and forest appeals/litigation coordinator --- Nez Perce National Forest, Idaho) 415 NE 2nd Street Grangeville, Idaho 83530 208-983-0181 da99333@gmail.com CC: selected citizens fed up with Supervisor Brazell’s mismanagement of the Clearwater/Nez Perce National Forest Tim DeCoster, WO Chief of staff Mary Wagner, WO Associate Chief Leo Kay, WO Director – Office of Communications Chris French, WO Asst. Director of Forest Planning Robin Morgan, WO Acting Director of Recreation Bob Harper, WO Director of Watershed, Fish and Wildlife Tom Rhode, R-1 Planning Specialist Cynthia Manning, R-1 Social Scientist Elizabeth Slown, R-1 Director of Public Affairs Brandon Schulze, R-1 Public Affairs Specialist George Bain, R-1 Director of Recreation Liz Noval, R-1 Landscape Architect and Recreation Planning Specialist Supervisor Brazell Timory Peel, forest planner leading the Clearwater/Nez Perce FP revision effort Joyce Thompson and Laura Smith, PAOs for the Clearwater/Nez Perce NFs Ralph Rau, Deputy FS, Clearwater/Nez Perce NFs Clearwater/Nez Perce NFs District Rangers