Forest Plan Focuses Public Voice for Effective Action
Forestry Subcommittee Chairman Goodlatte welcomes U.S. Forest Service Plan

November 27, 2002 – U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Chairman for the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry, expressed positive reaction to new forest planning regulations announced by the U.S. Forest Service.

"At last, residents of forest communities will now be able to focus on the betterment of forests instead of getting tangled in the ropes of knowing when and how to navigate through bureaucratic appeals. Rather than making an issue out of the forests, I believe it is more constructive to make good forest management the issue."

The 2002 Planning Rule:

• emphasizes public involvement
  
• gives specific directions on the use of science in the planning process
  
• emphasizes monitoring and evaluation
  
• supports need-for-change planning
  
• has an objection process
  
• delegates the authority for plan decisions to forest supervisors
  

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