Tongass National Forest

Posted by Lee Kramer on 04/06/07 @ 10:53:13 am

We have almost completed our schedule of 25 public meetings about the Draft EIS. The Angoon meeting was rescheduled because of weather and will be held on Friday, April 13. The majority of these meetings (23) were held in Southeast Alaska communities, with meetings also held in Anchorage and online. A complete list of the meetings is included on the Public Meeting Schedule page.

The majority of the meetings were well attended. We appreciated the opportunity to discuss forest planning issues with folks and received some great input about specific areas, as well as broader forest planning concerns. The Q&A and Testimony from the online public meeting illustrates some of the dialogue and testimony we experienced through these meetings.

The public comment period has been extended until April 30. Formal comments may be submitted via the Make Comment page.

We’d also like to encourage you to participate in this Blog. More than 100 people have registered to comment, but we’ve received very little public input to date. Its clear from the public meetings and other public interactions that folks are well informed about this planning process, with a lot of interesting perspectives and information to share.

Posted by Lee Kramer on 03/27/07 @ 02:22:10 pm

As noted in the preceding post and elsewhere on this site, we held an online public meeting on March 22, 2007 and provided folks with an opportunity to ask the project team questions and receive answers in almost real time. Questions were submitted from a number of the Lower 48 states, ranging geographically from Massachusetts to Washington. Slightly more than half of the 16 questions received were submitted by Southeast Alaska residents.

Questions addressed a wide range of Forest planning issues, including timber demand, commercial fishing, recreation and tourism, and roadless areas. Click here to review the questions and Forest Service answers. Please feel free to continue the dialogue by posting your comments on these questions and answers here.

The online hearing also included a public hearing and people were able to post their testimony for inclusion in the public record. Click here to review this testimony.

The public comment period for the Draft EIS has been extended to April 30, so there is still time to provide your formal comments if you have not yet done so. Public comment information is available on the Make Comment page of this web site.

Posted by dennis neill on 03/21/07 @ 05:21:28 pm

Submit your questions for the Internet Meeting today.
Our Internet Public Meeting is coming up tomorrow, March 22. The Open House portion of the meeting will extend from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (ADT). We will be answering your questions in (close to) real time during this portion of the meeting. You’re invited to submit your comments from now through 1 p.m. on Thursday. We’ll be accepting your formal testimony from 1 p.m to 6 p.m. ADT. Click here to access the Public Meeting and Hearing:http://www.tongass-fpadjust.net/townhall/oh/home.php

Posted by dennis neill on 03/21/07 @ 04:58:25 pm

The public comment period on the Draft EIS and Forest Plan Amendment has been extended to April 30, 2007. Severe weather conditions forced postponement of several public meetings, and delayed consultation with some Alaska Native Tribes. In addition, the extension will give everyone additional time to review and comment on the small old growth reserve changes that were posted to the website in mid-March.

Posted by Lee Kramer on 03/07/07 @ 03:25:40 pm

The Saxman public meeting was rescheduled from February 27, 2007 and will instead be held on Tuesday March 13, 2007. The meeting will be held at the Saxman Community Center. The informal Open House portion of the meeting will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The public hearing will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The meeting location and times have been identified for the Anchorage public meeting. The Anchorage meeting will be held Friday March 30, 2007 at the Loussac Library Assembly Chamber. The informal Open House portion of the meeting will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The public hearing will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

More information on the meetings and the full meeting schedule are posted on the main Forest Plan Adjustment site on the Public Meeting Schedule page.