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WLSH Extension - Support Letter

Dennis Murphy
Wed, 31 Mar 2021 15:49:20 GMT

Please review [this initial draft letter supporting the WLSH proposed extension](http://le.sitekreator.com/Tools/file_direct_link.html?id=ODc4MzY0LDExMTkzMzQ5NA). A second draft will be posted, incorporating feedback received by *5:00 pm Friday, April 9th*.

Dennis Murphy
Wed, 31 Mar 2021 20:19:37 GMT

Suggestions from _John Robinson_ I have two edits. Instead of saying, "has been plagued by repeated litigation since 2015, thus preventing..." I would say, "the decision was voided following litigation, thus preventing..." And instead of "The Payette National Forest health risk is high due to lack of active land management, threats such as insects, disease and wildfire and many years of neglect," I would say "The Payette National Forest health risk is high due to unnatural fuel loads, insects, disease and impacts from historic land management practices"

gapippin
Thu, 01 Apr 2021 16:36:56 GMT

I like John's slightly different wording in both paragraphs.

Dennis Murphy
Thu, 01 Apr 2021 18:10:22 GMT

A suggestion - Amie has advised that priorities for extensions may likely go to projects that have not received the second round of founding (like WCII). I think it's important to emphasize the history of the PFC engagement in the proposed extension area. Below is a suggestion for the second paragraph: >The Payette National Forest and PFC have successfully collaborated on five NEPA projects within the WLSH landscape. The scale of the five projects ranges from 50,000 to 83,000 acres Of specific interest to the PFC are eight watersheds contained within the land area defined in the WLSH Extension Proposal. Over the past nine years, the PFC developed forest restoration recommendations and priorities to address the departure from desired condition for the 142,000 acres of Forest Service ownership within these sixth order watersheds. The Huckleberry Record of Decision includes three of the eight watersheds. Implementation is anticipated in 2021, subject to adeq uate funding. Litigation voided a Record of Decision that included five of the eight watersheds, restoration actions ceased, and a redesign of the NEPA phase is underway.