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From: Home Office Re: Recent
information I just received a fax into my office this afternoon, from a
newspaper Headline reads: FOREST SERVICE BROKE PROMISES MADE TO COUNTIES, OFFICIALS SAY The article captures a 71 year old promise made to northern Wisconsin counties in order to win establishment of Wisconsin's National Forests. County board chairmen in Vilas and Forest County are upset that the federal agency that once promised "maximum forest productivity" to produce revenue for counties and local economies, is moving in the opposite direction. "State law said county approval was absolutely necessary for federal acquisition of land" said Gene Ahlborn, chairman of the Vilas County Board. "But the basis of that partnership, maximum timber harvest and maximum payments to counties in lieu of taxes, has apparently been forgotten" Ahlborn said. "Our economy thrives on stable wood supplies and tourism recreation, and neither is served by wilderness and roadless areas." This broken promise is of course referring to Clinton's "roadless initiative" which calls for the restudy of 40 million acres of national forest where logging and road building will be dramatically curtailed and/or affected. It is estimated that about 74,000 acres of the Nicolet-Chequamegon are affected. The article also captures that the Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) voted unanimously to vehemently oppose the Roadless Initiative. This was done in their letter sent to the USDA Forest Service. The article goes on to say that the purpose of the United States in buying these lands was to restore them to a condition of maximum forest productivity by intensive management, planting, fire protection, etc., to make them sources of permanent timber supply and bases for permanent wood-using industries and communities. This was stated by the assistant chief forester of the Forest Service, a Mr. Kneipp. Vilas County chairman Gene Ahlborn states that the Forest Service's recent push for more roadless areas and changes in the forest plans - away from timber harvesting - betray the original partnership they established with the counties. These Wisconsin counties receive 25% of the stumpage revenues from timber sales as reimbursement for the lost tax revenue due to federal ownership of more than one million acres of forest land in Wisconsin. But less logging means less revenue. WCA Executive Director Mark Rogacki said that in 1997 logging on the national forests in Wisconsin meant more than $100 million in employment income and $791,251 in payments to 11 counties. "To the people in the White House, USDA or the Forest Service, this may not look like much. But to the people of northern Wisconsin, it is a critical element of our economy" stated Rogacki. The article goes onto Forest County Chairman Erhard Huettl's views that support logging and motorized recreation - the lifeblood of northern Wisconsin. Chairman Huettl went to Madison last Friday where he successfully convinced the WCA to unanimously support his position. That's 21 directors who represent all 72 counties! Here are the reasons that base the WCA's "vigorous opposition" to Clinton's roadless area agenda: * The federal government is breaking a 71 year old promise that it made to Wisconsin citizen's when it took the land. * The president is breaking this promise to satisfy special interest environmental extremists, many of whom live in our urban areas and have little or no concern regarding the impact of logging or tourism in Wisconsin. * Breaking the promise erodes local control and will have a huge impact on workers and property tax rates.
Another article highlighted an Upper Michigan Congressman, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) who is also up in arms against both the Roadless Initiative and the process used. He states "the new roadless initiative targeting 40 million acres nationwide is badly flawed, both in its broad application and in the way it has been announced."
I wanted to pass these two articles and their message along to the "network" so as to give more credibility and the message of broad support AGAINST these policies that our motorized community are more confident fighting against! Randy Harden |