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November
19, 2003
A.
J. Helgenberg
Dick
Kramer
Idaho
Panhandle National Forest
Sandpoint
Ranger District
1500
Highway 2, Suite 110
Sandpoint
ID 83864
Re:
Chloride Bush EIS
Thank
you for seeking public comment. The concerns of this organization are to:
- Identify
and protect sensitive plant populations. What is the level of survey
for sensitive plants in this area? If sensitive plants are found
within the work area, how will they be protected?
- Avoid
noxious weed spread and reduce current noxious weed populations. What
is the weed situation today on the roads to be improved and used? On
other nearby roads? In the forest? What weed prevention measures will
be incorporated?
What weed control measures are needed on roads planned for
decommissioning and storing?
- Retain
and develop healthy ecosystems. We are concerned with the amount of
acreage planned for “regeneration cutting” (1,637 acres) and that
“open areas” could be several hundred acres in size. It seems that
this would substantially modify the landscape and reduce the potential
for an appropriate diversity of native forest and plants to return in
the near future. We hope you will examine this element of your plan
carefully and address it extensively in the DEIS.
- Road
access generally means introduced weeds, insensitive use near
sensitive plant populations, and inappropriate off road vehicle use.
We are pleased to see that 17.5 miles of roadway would be
decommissioned. Construction of new roads (1.8 miles) raises questions
of storm water runoff and introduced weeds.
- Will
a Fire Use Plan be developed for the IPNF lands south of Lake Pend
Oreille in conjunction with this project and others nearby?
We
commend you for ongoing work to close old mines and mitigate their effects
on the terrestrial and aquatic landscape.
Thank
you for the opportunity to comment.
Molly
O'Reilly
Conservation
Committee Chair
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