GUEST POST by Sara Hall (Chairwoman, Boundary County Citizen Lands Alliance) —
Dear Friends,
I highly suggest that everyone get themselves a copy of the Bonners Ferry Herald this week, as it contains a decision by the Forest Service to manage the Forest with less public access and more areas like wilderness. We have 60 days to comment as of September 27 when the announcement was evidently posted in the CDA Press and the Missoulian. The legal notice can be found on the Forest Planning web site. According to the forest planning website the objection period started September 28, the day after being posted. Here is a link to the pdf document containing the legal notice.
Guidelines for objection process are found in the pdf document and also here. Also on the forest planning site, one may obtain the Revised Forest Plan documents. You have to scroll down this page to find the links.
Below you will find a very interesting notice that was forwarded to me by the Sanders Natural Resource Council. This email notice contains some valuable information and links. It is well worth the time to read. Evidently a couple of groups, the Blue Ribbon Council and the Americans for Responsible Access, are pooling resources to fight back with a lawsuit and by introducing bills into Congress to end what they call "de facto" wilderness areas being established by the US Forest Service. As the writers of the attached notice point out, only Congress has the authority to designate a wilderness area. It's obvious that the USFS has been ruling our lands by policy not law for decades, and we want it stopped. Here is a link to sign a petition to Raul Labrador in Idaho, or to whomever your representatives may be if you don't live in Idaho.
There is also a petition to support legislation limiting these sue and settle lawsuits initiated by Big Green groups that are getting wealthy at our expense and imposing their radical ideas about conservation on the rest of us.
Please feel free to forward this information to whomsoever you will. I will be putting together comments during the next few weeks. Please contact me if you'd like to meet or have ideas about the matter. I am sure open to discussion.
Message from the BlueRibbon Coalition:
U.S. FOREST SERVICE CONTINUES UNLAWFUL "DE FACTO WILDERNESS" POLICY IN TWO MORE NATIONAL FORESTS!
MILLIONS OF ACRES OF PREMIER RECREATION AT RISK IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED!
GREETINGS BRC ACTION ALERT SUBSCRIBERS,
The Forest Service has just released the final drafts and draft Record of Decisions (RODs) for the Kootenai National Forest and the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
Normally, these Forest Plans are akin to a master zoning plan, outlining general management guidance for large geographic areas, leaving site specific decisions for a later time or for a local Ranger District. This makes sense, because in today's world the agency simply does not have the resources to render defensible site specific decisions at the Forest Plan stage.
SPECIFICALLY, THE USFS IS CREATING "DE FACTO WILDERNESS."
While the revised Plan decisions are generally programmatic, this Record of Decision also incorporates the following decisions:
Well, just like Emperor Palpatine in George Lucas "Star Wars" films, the USFS wants to make it legal!
BUT LIKE THE PLUCKY HERO REBELS IN STAR WARS, BRC AND THE IDAHO STATE SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION ARE FIGHTING BACK!
Last year, BRC and ISSA joined forces in the courtroom to challenge the 2011 Clearwater National Forest Travel Plan and its rollout of the Northern Region Recommended Wilderness Area ("RWA") Policy. Under the Policy, RWAs will effectively be managed as formally designated Wilderness.
Like a slow moving virus, this unlawful policy has now spread to the Idaho Panhandle and the Kootenai National Forests. The documents are now available on the IDAHO PANHANDLE NATIONAL FORESTS PLANNING WEB PAGE and the KOOTENAI-IDAHO PANHANDLE ZONE FOREST PLAN REVISION WEBSITE.
Additional information, including maps, supporting documents, and how to participate in the objection process, can also be found on their website. The FS responses to your comments on the draft EIS and draft Forest Plan are in Appendix G of the FEIS.
These draft decisions are subject to a pre-decisional administrative review process (objection process), pursuant to the 2012 Planning Rule (Subpart B of36 CFR 219). That "objection process" provides us an opportunity to challenge this flagrant disregard of the law.
Now, we don't want to be "Pollyannaish" here. The "objection process" is like appealing to the King for something the Prince did wrong. The USFS has "gone rogue" as they say. The fact is, they really are intent on "making this legal."
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'LL FILE A FORMAL OBJECTION, BUT WE AREN'T OPTIMISTIC THE USFS WILL CHANGE THEIR MIND.
That means we're going to need your help fighting this in the courts and also on the political playing field. Toward that end, we have a important 3-STEP ACTION ITEM below.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW!
THANKS IN ADVANCE AND, AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT BRC.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED — HELP US STOP THIS UNLAWFUL POLICY
BELOW IS ONE OF BRC'S FAMOUS, INSANELY EASY 3-STEP ACTION ITEMS.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION TODAY!
ACTION ITEM 1: - FORWARD THIS ALERT, LIKE OR SHARE THIS ON FACEBOOK.
ACTION ITEM 2: - PLEASE SUPPORT OUR LAWSUIT AGAINST THIS OUTRAGEOUS "DE-FACTO WILDERNESS" POLICY.
ACTION ITEM 3: - CONTACT CONGRESS IMMEDIATELY.
Our National partners, Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA) have created one of their excellent "click and send" action items. This is the quickest and easiest way to send a message to Congress about what the USFS is doing.
The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. With members in all 50 states, BRC is focused on building enthusiast involvement with organizational efforts through membership, outreach, education, and collaboration among recreationists. Call 1-800-BlueRib or visit us online at www.sharetrails.org
Dear Friends,
I highly suggest that everyone get themselves a copy of the Bonners Ferry Herald this week, as it contains a decision by the Forest Service to manage the Forest with less public access and more areas like wilderness. We have 60 days to comment as of September 27 when the announcement was evidently posted in the CDA Press and the Missoulian. The legal notice can be found on the Forest Planning web site. According to the forest planning website the objection period started September 28, the day after being posted. Here is a link to the pdf document containing the legal notice.
Guidelines for objection process are found in the pdf document and also here. Also on the forest planning site, one may obtain the Revised Forest Plan documents. You have to scroll down this page to find the links.
Below you will find a very interesting notice that was forwarded to me by the Sanders Natural Resource Council. This email notice contains some valuable information and links. It is well worth the time to read. Evidently a couple of groups, the Blue Ribbon Council and the Americans for Responsible Access, are pooling resources to fight back with a lawsuit and by introducing bills into Congress to end what they call "de facto" wilderness areas being established by the US Forest Service. As the writers of the attached notice point out, only Congress has the authority to designate a wilderness area. It's obvious that the USFS has been ruling our lands by policy not law for decades, and we want it stopped. Here is a link to sign a petition to Raul Labrador in Idaho, or to whomever your representatives may be if you don't live in Idaho.
There is also a petition to support legislation limiting these sue and settle lawsuits initiated by Big Green groups that are getting wealthy at our expense and imposing their radical ideas about conservation on the rest of us.
Please feel free to forward this information to whomsoever you will. I will be putting together comments during the next few weeks. Please contact me if you'd like to meet or have ideas about the matter. I am sure open to discussion.
Message from the BlueRibbon Coalition:
U.S. FOREST SERVICE CONTINUES UNLAWFUL "DE FACTO WILDERNESS" POLICY IN TWO MORE NATIONAL FORESTS!
MILLIONS OF ACRES OF PREMIER RECREATION AT RISK IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED!
GREETINGS BRC ACTION ALERT SUBSCRIBERS,
The Forest Service has just released the final drafts and draft Record of Decisions (RODs) for the Kootenai National Forest and the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
Normally, these Forest Plans are akin to a master zoning plan, outlining general management guidance for large geographic areas, leaving site specific decisions for a later time or for a local Ranger District. This makes sense, because in today's world the agency simply does not have the resources to render defensible site specific decisions at the Forest Plan stage.
SPECIFICALLY, THE USFS IS CREATING "DE FACTO WILDERNESS."
While the revised Plan decisions are generally programmatic, this Record of Decision also incorporates the following decisions:
- RESTRICT MOTORIZED (85,800 ACRES) AND MECHANIZED (176,827 ACRES) USE IN MANAGEMENT AREAS ALLOCATED TO RECOMMENDED WILDERNESS AND RESEARCH NATURAL AREAS. This decision authorizes an accompanying closure order as per 36 CFR 261 Subpart B and aligns the allowed uses within the management area direction established in the revised Plan.
- Restrict the use of hand-held motorized equipment in management areas allocated to recommended wilderness or primitive areas, except for administrative use. This decision authorizes an accompanying order as per 36 CFR 261 Subpart B and aligns the allowed uses within the management area direction established in the revised Plan.
Well, just like Emperor Palpatine in George Lucas "Star Wars" films, the USFS wants to make it legal!
BUT LIKE THE PLUCKY HERO REBELS IN STAR WARS, BRC AND THE IDAHO STATE SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION ARE FIGHTING BACK!
Last year, BRC and ISSA joined forces in the courtroom to challenge the 2011 Clearwater National Forest Travel Plan and its rollout of the Northern Region Recommended Wilderness Area ("RWA") Policy. Under the Policy, RWAs will effectively be managed as formally designated Wilderness.
Like a slow moving virus, this unlawful policy has now spread to the Idaho Panhandle and the Kootenai National Forests. The documents are now available on the IDAHO PANHANDLE NATIONAL FORESTS PLANNING WEB PAGE and the KOOTENAI-IDAHO PANHANDLE ZONE FOREST PLAN REVISION WEBSITE.
Additional information, including maps, supporting documents, and how to participate in the objection process, can also be found on their website. The FS responses to your comments on the draft EIS and draft Forest Plan are in Appendix G of the FEIS.
These draft decisions are subject to a pre-decisional administrative review process (objection process), pursuant to the 2012 Planning Rule (Subpart B of36 CFR 219). That "objection process" provides us an opportunity to challenge this flagrant disregard of the law.
Now, we don't want to be "Pollyannaish" here. The "objection process" is like appealing to the King for something the Prince did wrong. The USFS has "gone rogue" as they say. The fact is, they really are intent on "making this legal."
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'LL FILE A FORMAL OBJECTION, BUT WE AREN'T OPTIMISTIC THE USFS WILL CHANGE THEIR MIND.
That means we're going to need your help fighting this in the courts and also on the political playing field. Toward that end, we have a important 3-STEP ACTION ITEM below.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW!
THANKS IN ADVANCE AND, AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT BRC.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED — HELP US STOP THIS UNLAWFUL POLICY
BELOW IS ONE OF BRC'S FAMOUS, INSANELY EASY 3-STEP ACTION ITEMS.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION TODAY!
ACTION ITEM 1: - FORWARD THIS ALERT, LIKE OR SHARE THIS ON FACEBOOK.
ACTION ITEM 2: - PLEASE SUPPORT OUR LAWSUIT AGAINST THIS OUTRAGEOUS "DE-FACTO WILDERNESS" POLICY.
ACTION ITEM 3: - CONTACT CONGRESS IMMEDIATELY.
Our National partners, Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA) have created one of their excellent "click and send" action items. This is the quickest and easiest way to send a message to Congress about what the USFS is doing.
The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. With members in all 50 states, BRC is focused on building enthusiast involvement with organizational efforts through membership, outreach, education, and collaboration among recreationists. Call 1-800-BlueRib or visit us online at www.sharetrails.org
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