San Juan County approves resolution urging Forest Service to step up forest-health work, backs rescission of roadless rule
Summary
The commission approved a multi-county resolution urging the U.S. Forest Service to act more quickly to restore and maintain healthy forest conditions to reduce wildfire risk; the draft includes support for rescission of the roadless rule to facilitate on-the-ground treatments.
San Juan County commissioners voted Nov. 18 to approve a resolution urging the U.S. Forest Service to use all available means to restore and maintain healthy forest conditions and to mitigate the potential for catastrophic wildfire.
County staff member Nick said the resolution is being offered jointly with several neighboring counties and described recent local forest-health projects, including thinning, mulching and prescribed understory burns in the southeast corner above town (the ‘‘Shingle Mill’’ project). Nick told commissioners the resolution calls on the Forest Service to act “expeditiously” and notes support for rescinding the roadless rule as a way to facilitate necessary treatments on federal ground.
Several commissioners said the county needs better planning after past wildfires and raised water-and-reservoir questions tied to firefighting operations. One commissioner asked whether Forest Service access to and use of local reservoirs is compensated; Forest Service operations were discussed as a practical constraint on local response and water planning.
A commissioner moved to approve the resolution and it was seconded. The commission approved the resolution on a voice vote; staff said they will circulate the resolution to partner counties and press the Forest Service for action.
The item will be sent to participating counties for consideration and, if adopted widely, used to coordinate requests to the Forest Service for more active management in the region.
