HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-143RESOLUTION OF THE BUTTE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Requesting Regional Forester Blackwell to immediately analyze and select a
sustainable alternative that meets the social, economic, environmental and fire
protection concerns of the citizens and businesses in Butte County
WHEREAS The January 2001 Record of Decision for the Sierra Nevada Forest Alan
Amendment Final Environmental Impact Statement was appealed by 250 individuals, organizations,
Counties and the Quincy Library Group because of its failure to tmeet the sustainability requirements of
the Organic Act, the National Forest Management Act, the Multiple Use Sustain Yield Act and the
Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group Forest Recovery Act; and
WHEREAS On November l6, 2001 Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth affirmed the
SNFPA ROD, and directed Region-V Regional Forester Jack Blackwell to commence a review ofthe
ROD for:
• Additional flexibility for aggressive fuel treatments
• Netiv inf~~rmation associated with the National Fire Plan
• Harmonization betti~~een the goals of the SNFPA and the H-FQf.G Pilot Project; and
WHEREAS On December 31, 2001 Regional Forester Blackwell appointed the review team
and broadened the scope of the review to include the assessment of the ROD on grazing, recreation,
and irnpaets to local cr~mmanities and further directed that the review achieve:
• The reduction of "lethal" ~~~ildtires t<n- the first decade
• Minimize the risk of escaped-tire effects to communities
• Meet NFA time frames for decreasing the acres at extreme risk to fire
• Develop a defensible space network at the appropriate pace and scale so that the
network will be in place within the first decade of the ItiFP
• Develop defensible space network in cooperation with Fire Safe Councils, communities
and private landowners; and
WHEREAS On May 23, 2002 Department of Agriculture Secretary Veneman and
Department of Interior Secretary Norton met with the Governors of the Western Governors'
Association in the joint release and adoption of the 10-Year Comprehensive 5trate~ry hmplementation
Plan far A Collaborative Approach for Reducin~ildland Fire Risks to Communities and the
Environment 4vhich requires close collaboration between the citizens and governments at all levels
and stipulates that key decisions should h~ n7ade at the local level; and
WHEREAS On February 20, 2003 President George Bush signed the FY-2003
Omnibus Appropriations Bill which included Senator Feinstein's amendment that "Congress reaffirms
its original intent that the Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group Forest Recovery Act of 1998 be
implemented, and hereby extends the expiration of the Quincy Library Group Act by five years"
through 2049; and
WHEREAS On March b, 2003 the SNFPA review team released their findings and
recommendations to Regional Forester Blackwell: and
WHEREAS On March 1 1, 2003, the Quincy Library Group and Plumas County filed a
Petition for Writ of Mandate seeking to vacate the January 12, 2001 ROD and to prepare a legally
sufficient EIS using authorized regulatory procedures under the National Forest Management Act; and
WHEREAS On March 18, 2003 Regional Forester alackwell announced the schedule for
initiating the Supplemental Draft EIS to the SNFPA with a timeline that basically eliminated any
meaningful and effective implementation of QLG Pilot Projects during FY-2003 and FY-2004
operating seasons; and
WHEREAS On April 15, 2003, the Forest Service released the F~`-2003 Program of Work
for the QLG Pilot Project area which continues the substandard implementation of the Pilot Project
for the fourth consecutive season and furthers the negative social and economic impacts to the
citizens, businesses and local governments:
• Accomplished acres (u; 92,200 acres (38"0 of plan)
• Merchantable sawlog volume (u>, } Ob2 million bdft {9% of the plan)
* I3io-mass volume ~u), 594,000 bdtons (54% of~the plan)
• Economic activity (u $152 million (9% of the plan); and
WHEREAS On June 2, 2003 the Forest Service published the Draft SETS for the
SNFPA providing three alternatives ft~r public review and comments by September 12, 2003:
S-I No Action Alternative
S-2 Proposed Action and Preferred Alternative
S-3 Staged Implementation Alternative; and
WHEREAS The Butte County Board of Supervisors concur with the Regional Forester that
a supplemental EIS is warranted and view Alternative S-2 as movement in a positive direction from
the FEIS ROD in that they appear to provide for a higher level of implementation of the resource
management activities specified in the H-FQLG Act in the short term. However, we do not concur
with the Regional Forester that Alternative S-2 is environmentally sustainable over the long-term and
will provide the critically important social, economic and fire protection benefits to the citizens,
businesses and local governments of Butte County.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Butte County Board of Supervisors
urgently request that Regional Forester Blackwell work with the Quincy Library Group for the
immediate development, analysis and selection of a sustainable Alternative, that corrects:
The arbitrary Desired Future Condition in S-2, that mandates that 70% of the National Forest
landscape will be managed towards a closed canopy f~~rest with predominantly big old trees, is
not sustainable and is inconsistent with the goals and objectives of the NFP. A more
appropriate and sustainable vision for the forest of the future is the "all aged, multi-story, fire
resistant forest ..." that is envisioned in the QLG Community Stability Proposal.
• The annual pace, scale, location and methods of proposed fuel reduction treatments are not
sufficient to provide a sustainable solution to the hazardous fuel crisis that is threatening the
communities and watersheds throughout the QLG Pilot Project area and the balance of the
Sierras. The treatment schedule and strategy presented in S-2 is woefully inadequate and fails
to meet the fuel reduction and fire protection objectives of the NFP and the WGA's 10-Year
Comprehensive Strategry and Implementation Plan.
• The illegal premise in the Final EIS and Draft SE[S that timber management and/or production
is na longer a legitimate use on the National Forests but simply a "byproduct"' of other (more
important) multiple use management objectives is a major shift in the management policies of
the National Forests and a major threat to the social and economic sustainability of the
communities in Butte County.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Butte, State of
California, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 9th day of September 2003, by the following
vote:
AYES: Supervisors .Iosiassen, Yamaguchi, and Chair Beeler
NOES: Supervisor Dolan
ABSENT: Supervisor Houx
NOT VOTING: None
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R J. B eler, ( al
Sign on fie~alf of Chairman by
Curt Josiassen, Vice Chair 9/23/03
ATTEST:
PAUL MCINTOSH, Chief Administrative Officer
And Clerk of the Board of Supervisor
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By:~_ ' ~ ~ ~ _ ~~~ --
Deputy