October 23, 1995

Mr. Leonard Atencio, Forest Supervisor
Lassen National Forest
55 South Sacramento Street
Susanville, CA 96130

Dear Leonard:

The Quincy Library Group would like to formally advise you about the recent discussions held by our group at our October 19, 1995 meeting regarding some issues on the Lassen National Forest.

First, we received an update on accomplishments for FY 95. Our group was pleased to see that the Forest had successfully accomplished many of its program targets for FY 95, including salvage and fuels projects and the projects completed with the $1 million in QLG designated funds. We will be formally requesting under separate cover more information and a presentation regarding these accomplishments. Again, we appreciate these efforts, especially given the myriad challenges the Forest Service continues to face.

The second Forest-related issues raised at our meeting was the impending sale of the Barkely fire salvage sale. As you are aware, this project is very controversial amongst our diversity of interests. While a few individuals commented on the fact that Barkley is actually a well-planned project, the QLG has serious objections over the fact that the sale lies within an off-base area under the QLG landbase. While this may appear to be an issue based more in politics than resource management, one of the bases for this area being "off base" in our proposal is its proximity to Deer Creek and its valuable salmon fisheries. It is the opinion of some in the QLG that risks to that habitat have not been adequately quantified or mitigated.

The Group further objects to implementation of this project because both Chief Thomas and Regional Forester Sprague are in support of adherence to the QLG landbase. We believe that support from those levels of the Forest Service should be acknowledged and appropriately applied at the Forest level. This is an important point for a number of reasons, including the fact that with limited budgets and staff, it would be of benefit to everyone's interests to plan and implement projects in the large and available landbase that is allocated to timber management under the QLG proposal. Much of this available land carries potential for low-profile, non-controversial projects that can be expeditiously implemented with little to no public controversy.

We are painfully aware fo the amount of time, resources and potential economic value to the local communities that are nested within this project. However, we feel that we must formally request that you remove this project from you program. The Quincy Library Group feels that the resources at risk outweigh the benefits of the project.

As potential mitigation to the economic loss to local communities, we would like to request that the projects scheduled in the Butt Creek Management Area be moved forward as quickly as possible and that new projects be developed expediously to try and recover some of the 2.5 MMBF that will be sacrificed by the removal of the Barkley sale. Additionally, we ask that restoration activities within the Barkley project be identified and implemented as well.

The Quincy Library Group realizes the magnitude of our request and appreciate your consideration in this matter. We look forward to your immediate written response to our request. If you have any further questions about this situation, please contact either of us below.

Sincerely,

Quincy Library Group
Corresponding Secretaries

/s/              /s/

Linda Blum    Ed Murphy

cc: Mr. Dan Glickman, Secretary of Agriculture
Mr. James Lyons, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
Regional Forester Lynn Sprague, Forest Service Region 5