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Congress of the United States, 



House of Representatives, 

 Washington, DC. 



Jan. 26, 1993. 

 Dale Robertson, 

 Chief, Forest Service, 

 U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, DC. 



Dear Chief Robertson: We are writing to provide further direction to the Forest 

 Service on the implementation of the independent scientific review of the Sierra Ne- 

 vada Range Forests which was provided for in the fiscal year 1993 Department of 

 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Although we realize that the 

 $150,000 allotted for the study is not adequate and will require further appropria- 

 tion, we would Uke to put forth our view of the type of study on which the fiinding 

 should be spent. 



As you know, on October 3, 1992, the House Committee on Agriculture approved 

 H.R. 6013, a bill introduced by Representative Panetta and ourselves which stated 

 clearly that the study should be a comprehensive ecosystem-wide study. This legisla- 

 tion was the product of long hours of negotiations and received bipartisan support. 

 Although the bill fell victim to adjournment, it was clear during the consideration 

 of the fiscal year 1993 Interior Appropriations bill that H.R. 6013 was to be the 

 model for that study. 



Specifically, we envision the study to be conducted in the following way: The Sec- 

 retaries of Agriculture and the Interior, would establish an independent Sierra Ne- 

 vada Forests Scientific Committee whose member would be drawn from a variety 

 of disciplines delineated in H.R. 6013. The Committee would submit a draft report 

 to the Secretaries and the appropriate congressional committees that would include: 

 (1) a deUneation of the various Sierra Nevada Forests ecosystems, (2) an inventory 

 of each ecosystem's lands and resources, (3) an evaluation of each ecosystem's health 

 conditions and trends and identification of affecting processes, activities, and other 

 factors such as drought, fire, timber harvesting, and residential development, (4) 

 recommendations for alternative management strategies, and (5) recommendations 

 for Sequoia ecosystem management. Each report (draft and final) would be submit- 

 ted to the National Academy of Sciences for peer review before submission to the 

 Congress. 



We hope that this explanation is helpful as you begin to design the first stages 

 of the study. Aggiin, we realize that additional funding will be required in order to 

 complete the study in the way outlined above however, we hope that you will 

 achieve as many aspects of the H.R. 6013 study as possible this year. 



If you have any questions regarding his very important issue, please do not hesi- 

 tate to contact us. 

 Sincerely, 



Harold Volkmer, 



Member of Congress. 

 Richard H. Lehman, 



Member of Congress. 

 Cal Dooley, 



Member of Congress. 

 Wally Herger, 

 Member of Congress. 



Congress of the United States, 



House of Representatives, 

 Washington, DC. 



Jan. 19, 1993. 



Mr. Dale Robertson 

 Chief U.S. Forest Service 

 Washington, DC. 



Dear Chief: We are writing to provide further direction to the Forest Service on 

 the implementation of the independent scientific review of the Sierra Nevada range 

 late successional old-growth forests required under the fiscal year 1993 Department 

 of Interior and related Agencies Appropriations bill. 



This appropriation was requested to fund a scientific review of the remaining late 

 successional old growth in the National Forests of the Sierra Nevada range and a 

 study of the entire Sierra Nevada ecosystem by an independent panel of scientists. 



