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<DIV>Visionaries -</DIV>
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<DIV>This proposed land trade includes many of the lands around Elk Creek Falls.</DIV>
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<DIV>Bev<BR><BR><BR>Jun 17, 2010 02:16:41 PM, thansen@moscow.com wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(102,153,204) 3px solid">>Courtesy of the St. Maries Gazette.<BR>><BR>>-------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>><BR>>Locals oppose FS land trade<BR>>By Dan Hammes<BR>><BR>>Critics charge taxpayers will be cheated.<BR>><BR>>Supporters say the proposed land exchange is not only fair, it would help<BR>>the Forest Service better manage its lands.<BR>><BR>>The one thing that seems certain is no opinions were changed at Monday’s<BR>>meeting to discuss the proposed land trade between the Forest Service and<BR>>Western Pacific Timber.<BR>><BR>>The county commissioners listened as Forest Service representatives<BR>>explained the proposed trade that includes 3,737 acres in Benewah County.<BR>>Several local residents attended to voice their opposition.<BR>><BR>>Under the trade, first proposed in 2006, the Forest Service would give up<BR>>28,000 acres in return for 40,000 acres of land in the Upper Lochsa River<BR>>basin near Lolo Pass. The trade would eliminate 'checkerboard ownership'<BR>>of land in the Lochsa and enable the Forest Service to better manage the<BR>>land.<BR>><BR>>Ron Erickson of the Forest Service said if the trade is approved the<BR>>federal agency would work with various groups, including the Nez Perce<BR>>Tribe, Trout Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy, the Rocky Mountain Elk<BR>>Foundation and the Bonneville Power Administration to develop a<BR>>land-management plan.<BR>><BR>>He did not estimate on what it would cost to implement the yet-unwritten<BR>>plan.<BR>><BR>>“So when did the Forest Service get into the park business?” Commissioner<BR>>Jack Buell asked. “You’re talking about becoming park rangers.”<BR>><BR>>He said the trade will impact local government. Idaho schools are<BR>>suffering for lack of funding and counties do not have enough money to<BR>>fund services, he said. When the Forest Service takes land out of<BR>>production it adversely impacts the local economy and tax base, he added.<BR>><BR>>Mr. Erickson said the Forest Service has different priorities.<BR>><BR>>“Timber is important but at the same time we have the other resources out<BR>>there including wildlife and fish,” he said.<BR>><BR>>Mr. Buell said the St. Joe River, which offers a great fishery amidst a<BR>>thriving timber business, is proof you can have both.<BR>><BR>>John Krebs said the Forest Service proposes to trade land with good public<BR>>access and managed for multiple use for land that would be managed for<BR>>wildlife.<BR>><BR>>“You don’t intend to manage that land for public use. You’re screwing the<BR>>public,” he said.<BR>><BR>>Mr. Erickson said while some roads in the Lochsa would be removed if the<BR>>Forest Service took ownership, there would be plenty of roads available<BR>>for public access.<BR>><BR>>Mr. Krebs also criticized the method the federal government uses to<BR>>appraise land. He said taxpayers were giving up land whose value far<BR>>exceeds what they would get in return.<BR>><BR>>Mr. Erickson defended the appraisal method used by the government.<BR>><BR>>Al Halverson, who lives near Tensed, was not convinced.<BR>><BR>>“You’re taking two 1953 DeSotos for a 2010 Cadillac and telling us it’s a<BR>>good trade,” he said.<BR>><BR>>Kathy Judson of Tensed questioned why the Forest Service had to pay to<BR>>rehabilitate logged land. She said that should be paid by the companies<BR>>that made profit from the harvested timber.<BR>><BR>>She added that local residents who use the land the Forest Service would<BR>>trade away to harvest game and collect firewood would suffer if the trade<BR>>is consummated.<BR>><BR>>“Nobody wants this exchange.”<BR>><BR>>Del Rust questioned how the Forest Service could pay to manage the land it<BR>>would take in trade.<BR>><BR>>“How can a bankrupt government pay for restoration?”<BR>><BR>>The Forest Service will release the Environmental Impact Statement to the<BR>>public in August and accept public comment on the proposal for 45 days.<BR>>For more information contact the Forest Service at 245-2531.<BR>><BR>>-------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>><BR>>Seeya round town, Moscow.<BR>><BR>>Tom Hansen<BR>>Moscow, Idaho<BR>><BR>>"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change<BR>>and the Realist adjusts his sails."<BR>><BR>>- Unknown<BR>><BR>><BR>>=======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>> http://www.fsr.net <BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>=======================================================<BR>></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></html>