For Immediate Release
January 22, 2004

Contact: Jim Nickles, 916/414-6572

Comments from Steve Thompson, Manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's California and Nevada Operations, on the U.S. Forest Service's release of the Record of Decision on the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment:

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service worked with the Forest Service on the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment, including the 2001 Record of Decision, the 2002 review, and the new Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement."

"The Service will continue to work closely with the Forest Service during the implementation and monitoring of the new Record of Decision."

"The Fish and Wildlife Service is particularly interested in working with the Forest Service and the California Resources Agency to refine and implement the active, focused adaptive management described in the SEIS and ROD."

"We understand the challenge the Forest Service faces in managing the Sierra Nevada forests. The Forest Service is obligated to conserve wildlife. But it must also address the risk of catastrophic wildfire and its impacts to communities and wildlife. We believe the Forest Service has struck a reasonable balance with this challenge by including a strong commitment to adaptive management with a science-based approach."

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

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