Post by chevit on Sept 5, 2006 14:18:01 GMT -5
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
The Oregon Roadless comment deadline is almost here!! Comments must be in by September 8, 2006
On July 21, 2006, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski announced he would petition the Secretary of Agriculture regarding how nearly 2 million acres of inventoried "roadless" areas in thirteen national forests in Oregon should be managed. In addition to members of his staff, Kulongoski will utilize the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop the petition and the public comment process.
Unfortunately, powerful special interest groups are trying to use this process to lock up Oregon's forests, ultimately paving the way for Wilderness designation. The danger here, as in other states, is that powerful out-of-state foundations and national Wilderness activist groups will attempt to pressure Governor Kulongoski into endorsing restrictive management of Roadless areas.
In a news release, Kulongoski pointedly noted that in a public comment period on the Clinton/Gore Roadless Rule, "92% supported the complete protection of all roadless areas."
That's because the Heritage Forest Campaign, funded by a millions of dollars from the Pew Charitable Trusts, flooded the agency will hundreds of thousands of spam email comments and postcards.
Kulongoski himself said; "Oregonians should be the ones determining the
future of our forest lands." - We Agree!
The anti-access groups have already posted their agenda, and they plan do everything they can to keep motorized travel out of all Roadless areas. They make no bones about it: Roadless areas should be "protected" by Wilderness designation. We need your help to keep our Roadless areas accessible for recreational use.
That's why I'm asking you to stand with BRC and others who want to protect responsible recreational access to Oregon's Roadless areas.
Please take action today!
Follow the instructions on the Action Item enclosed
Thank you in advance for your help,
Brian Hawthorne
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102
Oregon Roadless Action Item:
SITUATION:
On July 21, 2006, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski announced he would petition the Secretary of Agriculture regarding how nearly 2 million acres of inventoried "roadless" areas in thirteen national forests in Oregon should be managed. Kulongoski has given until September 8, 2006 for public comment.
In addition to members of his staff, Kulongoski will utilize the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop the petition and the public comment
As you know, powerful special interest groups are trying to use this process to lock up Oregon's forests, ultimately paving the way for Wilderness designation. The anti-access groups have already posted their agenda, and they plan do everything they can to keep motorized travel out of all Roadless areas. They make no bones about it: Roadless Areas should be "protected" by Wilderness designation.
Public comment from Oregonians who enjoy any type of mechanized use of National Forests is critically important. We need your help to keep our Roadless areas accessible for recreational use. Please respond now!
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Submit comment to the Governor via the State of Oregon online web comment form and/or a written comment letter directly to the Governor (yes, it's worth the effort).
Use our comment suggestions below to help you with your letter.
Mail to:
Roadless Comments
Governor's Natural Resources Office
900 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
Email to:
Jo Bell at jo.l.bell@state.or.us; make sure to put Roadless Comments in the subject line.
Also, don't forget to get all the information and latest updates via the internet at the web addresses below.
Thanks!
More info on the web:
Join our Action Alert Email list for the latest news and updates: www.sharetrails.org/alertlist/subscribeform.cfm
State of Oregon Roadless Webpage:
www.governor.oregon.gov/Gov/GNRO/oregon_forests.shtml
Must Read materials on the Roadless issue:
Recreational groups attain party status in roadless lawsuits
www.sharetrails.org/magazine.cfm?story=808
Some roadless ramblings
www.sharetrails.org/magazine.cfm?story=641
Land use focus
www.sharetrails.org/magazine.cfm?story=798
What I did this hunting season
www.sharetrails.org/magazine.cfm?story=739
SAMPLE COMMENT LETTER:
Dear Governor Kulongoski
We recommend a brief paragraph stating how much you enjoy OHV recreation, and how much you value roads and trails within Oregon's Roadless Areas.
Each Roadless area should be managed under the provisions contained in each Forest Plan. Each and every Roadless area is unique with its own varied resources and uses. The forest planning process is the best way to take into consideration the unique values of each Roadless area.
Each Forest Plan provides sufficient legal mandated protection for the Roadless parts of the forest. Thus, no new rulemaking is needed in Oregon to protect the undeveloped character of these areas. Roadless areas are already protected by Forest Plans reached through the agency's public planning process.
It is important to identify the recreational infrastructure in each Inventoried Roadless Area and include a complete report to the Governor. Such inventory should include, but is not limited to; roads, trails, trailheads, winter trail grooming, toilets, yurts, interpretative sites and even water developments.
It should be noted that Oregon's OHV community has, through various fees and gasoline tax funds, contributed to the maintenance of many of the recreational sites and infrastructure in many Roadless areas.
It is important to point out that a "Roadless Area" was never meant to be a "stand-alone" management designation. Inventoried Roadless Areas are, in fact, the first step in a Wilderness inventory. Their boundaries are determined solely on the presence or absence of major, maintained roads. No consideration to geologic boundaries, management considerations, low grade roads and recreational trails, or other resource uses are made when a National Forest determines Roadless area boundaries. Thus, these areas are not logical management boundaries.
I support the protection of undeveloped character of Oregon's Roadless areas under the provisions of the Forest Planning process which allows for management of recreational uses such as Off-Highway Vehicle and mountain bike use.
YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
Note: Be sure to sign and address your letter. Anonymous comments are often discarded!