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scienciscs (through research agreements) to complete and publish 

 the study. The goals established by Congress for this study 

 ir.cludei providing a social over'/iew of the Sierra Nevada area; 

 determining old growth and late successional forest conditions 

 including a special examination of Sequoia Groves; evaluating the 

 health conditions and sustainability of the ecosystems within the 

 Sierra Nevada; providing an evaluation of ecological processes; 

 determining economic conditions of the current market and 

 non-market economic indicators of historic, current and future 

 management options for the area; and providing an assessment of 

 the watersheds, including the condition of the aquatic 

 ecosystems. In addition, there will be public access to the 

 reports, computer databases, maps, and digitally- stored 

 information created by the project. 



Status of Assessments 



All three assessments are near completion. The Interior Columbia 

 River Basin Ecosystem Management Project assessment will be 

 released early this summer. The related Draft EIS's are expected 

 to be completed and available for public review in August. The 

 final EIS's, from which forest plans will be eimended to address 

 ecosystem health concerns and to provide long term measures to 

 replace interim direction (PACFISH, INFISH and East-side 

 screens), are expected to be completed in May 1997. 



