Governor Gordon Tells Federal Government that Local Input is Critical to Old Growth Forest Plan Amendment

Governor Mark Gordon has sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack expressing frustration over the process, timeline and substance of a proposed National Old-growth Amendment, which would alter forest guidance within all National Forest and Grassland Management Plans without following the typical plan revision process.

In the letter, the Governor stated that the Forest Service should perform its effort at a forest unit level — not on a national scale. The Governor also urged the Forest Service to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process instead of curtailing appropriate state and local input. 

The Governor’s statement follows:

Every National Forest located in Wyoming is unique, but the U.S. Forest Service appears to want to treat all forests with a single, sweeping proposal and ignore the input of those with local, on-the-ground knowledge of Wyoming’s forests.

There has been a distinct lack of communication from the Forest Service to the State, local governments, and conservation districts seeking cooperating agency status and an ability to provide substantive input on this wide-reaching, impactful amendment. This deviates from proven historical Forest Service practice when it comes to forest planning in Wyoming, and erodes trust and confidence in the Forest Service. 

I urge the Forest Service to allow for meaningful cooperative involvement in the NEPA process, as dictated by long-standing agency practice and the law. Local voices must be heard on this important issue, which should not be rushed in the service of arbitrary deadlines.”

The Governor’s complete letter may be found here.