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and protect the Giant Sequoias, why not come up with your own plan? It is no 

 disgrace to adnnit there is not enough known about the Sequoias and their 

 surrounding forests at this time to fully protect them. If we do not really know what a 

 long term sustainable ASQ is for the Forest, then why not admit that and drastically 

 reduce the ASQ until we do know? Why dont you stop planning sales that lie in the 

 same watersheds as Giant Sequoia Groves? Why wait until the Courts or Congress 

 tell you what to do, as has happened so often in the past? 



I keep hearing reports that the Forest Service is telling Congress that the MSA has 

 taken care of ail the problems in the Forest and that only a few radicals are supporting 

 a Giant Sequoia Preserve established by Congress. That is not true. The Sierra Club, 

 along with nearly ail of the National environmental organizations support a Giant 

 Sequoia Preserve established by Congress. 



There is new information available since the f\^SA wsis signed. For example the 

 CASPO Report has shown that the ASQ for the Sierran Forests must be drastically 

 reduced if the California Spotted Owl and other old growth dependent species are to 

 survive. Already some of the provisions in the fvlSA are obsolete because of this new 

 information. For example, the fvlSA allows for even-aged management; the new 

 information in CASPO makes that provision unacceptable. As time drags on and 

 actions called for in the MSA are delayed, more and more of the MSA will become 

 obsolete. If the studies called for in the MSA are not done soon then most of our 

 reasons for signing the MSA will have been lost. 



We hope the Forest Service can be pro-active and support protection and nurturing of 

 the magnificent Sequoia ecosystem. With all of the recent developments, the Forest 

 Service has an opportunity now to come up with a better way to protect the Forest. 

 Just saying the MSA has taken care of all the problems and defending the old v/ays of 

 doing things is not going to convince many people. Without a change in approach, the 

 battle to save the Giant Sequoia ecosystem will be just one more prolonged campaign 

 with the environmental community on one side and the Forest Service and commodity 

 interests on the other. Why does history have to keep repeating itself? 



We hope that we have clarified our position on several issues. We welcome the 

 opportunity to work with you to fully protect Giant Sequoias. 



Sincerely, 

 uteF 



Fontaine 

 (Additional attachments are held in the committee files.) 



