PETITION TO THREE FEDERAL LEGISLATORS—

Senator Risch, Senator Crapo and Representative Minnick

From: We the People Who Elected You to Office

We, the organizers/leaders of the huge majority of opposition to the efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to trade away much of the USFS managed lands owned by the people in the ill-conceived Upper Lochsa land take-away exchange proposal, do hereby petition the three of you, as representatives of the 100-150,000 nearby people most affected by the government take-away and who use these lands on a regular basis, to do the following as representatives of the people:

Communicate directly and soon with the Director of the U.S. Forest Service, Mr. Tidwell,  in Washington, DC and inform him explicitly that a huge majority of the people most affected by this ill-advised proposed take-away of the people's public lands in six counties of Northern Idaho, demand that this proposed land take-away against the will of the people must stop and cease immediately! The people most affected by this government take-away of their lands are not concerned about the results of the EIS study currently being conducted as to the number of acres, location, etc, of lands to be taken away from the people--the people demand that the Forest Service stop the process of taking away any of the people's public lands immediately in these six counties to protect many small communities’ survival dependent on people visiting and recreating in these areas!

We, your constituents that elected you to office and who oppose this mass government take-away of the people's lands, ask to be informed promptly which of our elected representatives communicated with Mr. Tidwell as requested so the people can determine who they will support in the upcoming November election. With no response, we will conclude that the people’s representatives have not honored the wishes of their constituents; with early word that the people's representatives have relayed the message to Mr. Tidwell, the people will begin contacting their fellow constituents to generate support for those honoring the request of We the People.   

ORGANIZERS & LEADERS OPPOSING LAND TAKE-AWAY IN SIX COUNTIES:

Retired USFS Foresters: Blake Ballard, John Krebs, Tom Galea and Lonnie Way

Friends of the Palouse Ranger District: Kathy Judson, Cheryl Halverson and Marilyn Beckett

Moscow Cares, Tom Hansen

Tensed Citizens Group

The Great Old Broads for the Wilderness

Excell Energy Patron’s Group

Elk River RAC

Elk River Lodge Employees Group

Fox Family

State Legislators: Senator Joyce Broadsword; Representatives Dick Harwood, Liz Chavez, Rep. Tom Trail, and Shirley Ringo

County Commissioners: James Rockwell, Idaho County; Jim Rehder, Idaho County; Christina Crawford, Benewah County

Others: Albert Halverson, Harvey Neese