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Show iIPAD ated Pee a EOP Ae However, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to prepare detailed statements for major Federal actions that significantly affect the quality of the human environment. It requires agencies to insure that environmental information, evidence, and analysis of the proposal is available to public officials and citizens before decisions and actions are made. This is a clear violation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). There has been no opportunity for comment and no requests for written or oral comments from the public. These changes apparently will be applicable to all communities affected by the plan. The agency’s actions would be very arbitrary and capricious if undertaken without any environmental analysis. Such categorical exclusion would allow mechanical methods for crushing, piling, thinning, pruning, cutting, chipping, mulching, and mowing without the NEPA analysis. It would also exclude many post-fire rehabilitation activities needed to repair or improve lands unlikely to recover quickly from wildfire damage. In this rush to deforest the trees, we are threatening our watersheds. There may be an _ immediate threat of flooding or landslide, hazardous or unsafe situations, damage to water quality caused by siltation or erosion due to fire or flooding. We have an erosion problem, and we should not add to it. We need to slow the runoff, not hasten it. Our water table is threatened. We cannot afford to have Pack Creek itself dry up in the summer months. We need the shade of the trees and bushes to help capture and hold the snows and rains. ie Bill Burke's 4-WHEELING AMERICA uc ee as vay = 970.858.3468 bb4wa@bb4wa.com www.bb4wa.com There is a better way than this wholesale destruction. We can protect our riparian areas by selective hand trimming and tree removal. We don’t need the huge machines and their cutting attachments. When work begins, selective cutting is the answer— tree by tree— taking out the dead and diseased trees first. We need a scoping meeting to determine our needs and issues. We need a detailed archeological survey and clearance and a copy of those reports. And from this could come a legally adequate EA so that the many facts can be gathered and all of the alternatives can be considered before any action is taken. Y L I iw (ice at os i We need the long-awaited hydrological study of the entire Pack Creek watershed and basin. We must protect our water supply and wells at all costs. The water table must not es There is a better way than this wholesale destruction. former tsetse AV Polit gel are education, safety, trail etiquette & CUCU Ea Rec RUE en sy of 4WDs. This is done through classes, private training, & guided trips. permitted outfitter/guide USFS & BLM be disturbed. We need a vegetation study) to analyze the varieties of vegetation that would be effected. A rare cactus plant is already on the endangered list. In order to preserve the summer's quietness and solitude of Pack Creek for our residents and guests, any work done ought to await the winter season. We need to survey the area to be disturbed on Amasa’s Back, so that we don’t have a repeat of the disastrous chaining operations of past years. We need to promote further personal responsibility regarding fire prevention in our area and assist Forest Service teams when possible in accomplishing their objectives. Our main goal should be to reduce the loss of human life, property and resource losses. To do this, we need to seek out grants and services from many sources. For instance, the Big Water, Utah fire department recently was awarded a $72,000 grant from the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of FEMA. We need to take action immediately to thwart fires by the creation of areas of defensible space around homes. This space should be thinned of brush, small trees, and any other E Mail Your Feedback Comments: If youd like to send us some Feedback via e mail we can be reached at: | cczephyr@frontiernet.net material that could lead to a fire. Woodpiles ought to be located away from any structure. c Roofing and other building materials ought to be fire resistant. Cheat grass needs to be cut. Employment contracts to thin the denser stand of trees ought to be offered to our many out-of-work citizens.The agency’s truncated-thought mechanism surely needs repair. We need to continue to listen, talk, and write about this urgent matter and not to be woozed out by the Feds. New ideas will then come. Then maybe we can solve our differences and produce the needed studies and come together to protect the beautiful lands and resources of the Pack Creek basin. If we can’t, then once again they're going to have to pull me from my charging Sculptures Alabaster s Navajo Rug inas vajo Kach Hopi & Na y ter Pot lo Pueb jo; Zuni Hopi, Nava Jewelry THE ZEPHYR NEEDS AD REPS... THE ZEPHYR is looking for advertising representatives in Moab, Salt Lake City, Flagstaff & Western Colorado. This is very PART-TIME work, perhaps 20 hours every two months...payment is on a commission basis. , Paiute Navajo; Ute & Papago Baskets y F If you have a talent for talking to people and you're honest and you need some extra money, please contact: Southern Utah's Finest Selection cczephyr@frontiernet.net 100 S. MAIN STREET PAGE9 259.8118 | |