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Timber sale suspect

Colville National Forest Supervisor Laura Jo West is at it again. She proposes to take away what the unborn kids of the future should inherit – an undeveloped national forest to enjoy.

Republic District Ranger Rodney Smoldon is accepting public comments on the proposed Deer Jasper timber sale until April 16. The sale will log 25.9 square miles in an area 3 miles west of Orient, Wash. Both sides of the North Fork of Boulder Creek will be logged for 13 miles. West plans to construct 21 miles of new road. Seven miles will parallel Boulder Creek a few hundred feet away. Soon, the creek will be muddy, so enjoy fishing there now.

The timber sale is needed to reduce the risk of fire damage to homes on private land nearby. The most effective fire damage risk-reduction methods being applied today were developed by a USFS fire physicist, Jack Cohen. His methods remove the fine, flash fuels near the homes at risk. West withholds this information from the public because Cohen’s methods don’t produce logs.

Hard copies of the environmental assessment can be obtained by contacting the Republic Ranger District. It is also available online.

Dick Artley

Grangeville, Idaho

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