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Amendment of Tongass Forest Plan Available for Public Review

Contact: Dennis Neill, 907-228-6201

Ketchikan, Alaska, January 10 - Tongass National Forest Supervisor Forrest Cole today announced that the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) and draft amended forest plan that responds to the Ninth Circuit Court decision of August 2005, and the 2005 mid-term review of the plan, has been mailed to interested parties. Cole said he will be available to speak to reporters during a news conference to be conducted from his office in Ketchikan, Alaska at 12:00 noon AST Friday, January 12.

“We can take this plan from excellent to outstanding, by building on new knowledge to add to the science we used ten years ago,” he said. “With these changes, we can do an even better job of providing clean air, clean water, abundant wildlife, and economic stability for future generations.”

He also announced that a 90-day formal public involvement period would begin Friday, with publication of the drafts in the Federal Register. “Public comment is one of the key strengths of our process,” Cole noted. “We have had an open and transparent process from the beginning, and I believe the public dialogue we have been having will allow us to chart a future course for the Forest that will provide long-term vitality for the communities of Southeast Alaska and significant conservation of pristine landscapes.”

A set of new alternatives was required by the Ninth Circuit Court’s decision, and are analyzed in detail in the DEIS, the Supervisor added. “These alternatives ‘tell the story’ of the demand scenarios, covering a wide range of possible future economic conditions. These alternatives will give all of us a chance to carefully consider what might realistically happen in the timber industry and other contributors to southeast Alaska culture. Then we can plan what role National Forest resources should play, and how to maintain all the other values of those resources that we collectively treasure.” Cole noted that he has not selected a “preferred alternative” from among those analyzed. “I want to open the door for the broadest possible opportunities for collaboration,” he noted.

An amendment to the 2005 Planning Rule allowed the Tongass to choose between the 1982 and 2005 rules. At the request of a number of environmental organizations, the Forest Service chose to use the 1982 rule, which requires an environmental impact statement, to amend the Forest Plan. However, unlike many DEIS processes, this one has been open to public comment since its inception in January 2006, when a new website was opened specifically for this process. The site, found at http://tongass-fpadjust.net, provides background information, continuous updates on progress, and opportunities for the public to present their views and input to the process. The Timber Demand Analysis is also posted on the website.

The full text of Cole’s remarks will be available after the news conference on the Tongass National Forest’s website at www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass.

For additional information, visit the web site, or contact Project Coordinator Lee Kramer at (907) 586-8811, extension 225, or email at lkramer@fs.fed.us.