By Terrell Boettcher

Seventh District Congressman David Obey has replied to a February 9 letter to the Sawyer County Record by Sawyer County Republican Party Chairman George Magowan alleging that Obey is out of touch with constituents regarding the Forest Service's proposed plans for roadless areas in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF).

"Contrary to the perception left by the letter, I have raised a whole series of questions with the Forest Service about its policy proposals, especially their unclear nature and the confusion caused by their information sessions," Obey said. "I have asked them to make clear the scope of their plans and their impact on Wisconsin."

"I also have emphasized that they should keep in mind the multiple use history of this area, and asked that they provide a fair opportunity for the possibly affected communities to comment on any plans to ensure local input on these decisions. A short while back, when local citizens raised concerns about Forest Service plans for disposition of land on Moose Lake, I did the same thing, and it was resolved to the satisfaction of people in the area," the Congressman said.

"This will be a long process," he added. "I will be looking over the shoulder of the Forest Service for some time to make sure that every citizen's view is taken in as they develop their proposals. But right now, there is no plan to comment on, just an announcement that they are going to propose a plan at some future date."

On January 6, Obey sent a letter to the Department of Agriculture (which oversees the Forest Service) laying out his concerns about their future proposed roadless area policy.

Obey letter

In his letter to USDA Secretary Dan Glickman, Obey expressed his grave concern over confusion that has resulted from the Administration's actions thus far in developing its new policy on protection of roadless areas in the National Forest System. "My concern is that if the Administration proceeds with its present method of crafting and implementing its proposals, it may put the national dialogue on forest policy at risk, and jeopardize the efforts in the Lake States to maintain a dialogue between environmentalists and other users of the forest."

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is a forest that is one of the largest acquired forests in the United States," Obey added. "It is an environmental treasure and also is important to the economic well-being of many counties in Northern Wisconsin. It has served as an example of sound forest management, and for many years our environmental community and our state's timber industry have worked together to ensure that it will continue to be so."

"I applaud efforts of the administration to protect and enhance the environmental values of our National forests," Obey said. "Nevertheless, I am concerned with the way these efforts have been carried out thus far."

"When the Administration announced its intent to establish a new level of protection from development for inventoried roadless areas, and then vaguely alluded to establishing a framework for further restrictions on other areas in the same breath, many people who rely on forest resources for recreation or their livelihood were concerned. The fact that National Forest officials at the local level were unable to answer questions about the policy proposal compounded those concerns, as has the closure of the public comment process before the full scope of this proposal was more clearly defined."

"When you consider that this individual policy action coincides with efforts to change the process for forest planning, the plan revision for the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, and EPA s proposal on clean water regulations that could impact forest management practices, it becomes easy to understand how some of these people could see their way of life as being under attack, unless these efforts are skillfully coordinated and sensitively handled. When our recreational users and timber producers are on the defensive, it becomes that much more difficult to bring them to the table to deal rationally with environmental issues. Many of these people who feel they are under threat are people whose efforts to reform the forest products industry have helped revitalize Wisconsin's forests."

"To try to alleviate the tensions that are on the rise in my state as a result of the significant changes possible in national forest management policy, I would appreciate receiving a detailed interpretation of the proposed roadless area policy's impact on Wisconsin, both for Phase I and Phase II."

"Before this polarization goes any further, I would urge the Administration to develop its policy concepts more completely, and lay them out for the public in order to avoid the confusion that has surrounded this issue, and hampered the general public's ability to become engaged in the process in real fashion," Obey continued. "As the Administration continues to develop this policy, I would specifically urge you to clear up the questions concerning its second phase, and to provide ample time for your agencies to receive considered public comment rather than instant reactions to half-baked proposals."

"I hope the actions of the Administration thus far will not contribute to breaking down what has been a real dialogue between the different parts of the forestry debate in the Lake States. It is my hope that the Administration will clear up the misunderstandings and rumors that surround this issue, and help build a consensus on this issue, rather than bringing the confrontation we have seen in the West to national forests in the rest of the country."

Dombeck responds

On February 16, Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck responded to Obey's letter.

He wrote that "Although roadless areas represent less than one percent of the American land mass, they serve as a reservoir of rare and vanishing values. They provide clean drinking water, habitat for fish and wildlife, abundant hunting and fishing, recreation opportunities, reference areas for research, and barriers against noxious and invasive species. In the face of growing sprawl and urbanization, the values of national forest roadless lands are immeasurable. With the vast majority of lands on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest within a quarter mile of an existing road, there are few opportunities for saving quiet areas for future generations."

"With so much misinformation around, I need to make one thing clear. The Forest Service is committed to providing access for the full array of commodity and recreation uses of national forests such as timber harvest, mining, off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, hiking, horse trails, mountain biking, and other forms of recreation that allow an increasingly urbanized society to enjoy. As someone who grew up next door to the Chequamegon National Forest, I fully appreciate and respect the value of our multiple use mandate to the people of Wisconsin."

"As we discussed, I envision that in the spring of 2000, we will issue a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and a series of alternatives for roadless area management and conservation. I have stated repeatedly that it is my intention to limit the scope of our action to those activities that lend themselves to national resolution, such as new road construction into roadless areas. At the same time, certain other uses, such as snowmobiles, are dispersed and should be addressed locally. We will ensure that people have the information and meetings they need to understand and comment on our proposals."

"In addition to the incredibly significant ecological values of roadless areas, there are common sense reasons to rethink our approach to roadless areas. We estimate over a $8.4 billion backlog in road reconstruction and maintenance. We receive less than 20 percent of the funding needed to maintain our existing road system. We should do a better job of taking care of our existing investments before making new ones."

"An estimated 11,000 miles of roads, ranging from paved highways to two-track woods roads, criss-cross the Forest, providing motorized access to most parts of the Chequamegon-Nicolet," Dombeck said. "Approximately 79 percent of the Forest is within one-quarter mile of a Forest road."

"The Chequamegon-Nicolet is one of the top timber-producing national forests in the country, with annual sales averaging around 110 million board feet. The Forest provides a variety of timber products. The revenues received from timber harvesting activities on the Forest have tripled during the last decade. It is also important to note that out of the 1.5 million acres in the forest only 69,000 acres are inventoried roadless areas. In fact, over the past five years, less than one percent of the timber harvest off the Chequamegon-Nicolet has come from inventoried roadless areas. "

Dombeck continued that "The Chequamegon-Nicolet provides something for everyone. We have no intention of moving away from our rich tradition of multiple use. Trails abound for hikers, bikers, skiers, snowmobiles, ATV riders, and hunters. Dozens of campgrounds, mostly next to lakes, provide places for families to get out into the woods. The Forest is home to many rare species and biological communities that are being restored through management and protection."

"Our national rule-making will likely be in accordance with the existing and future multiple-use management of the forest and will likely enhance the mix of uses, opportunities, and values found there-in," Dombeck said.