US Senator James Risch pens angry letter to Agricultural Secretary Sonny Perdue over illegal actions by the US Forest Service.
Namely, that the Forest Service, especially the Payette National Forest, is violating federal laws by locking people out of the wilderness, which is the exact opposite of Congress' intent when it passed the Wilderness Act.
Airstrips and certain backcountry roads were to remain in place to give the public access to newly designated wilderness that had been set aside from economic development.
Senator Risch claims that the Forest Service is causing "resentment" and "negative" public sentiment by locking taxpayers out of the wilderness, which Congress intended for the enjoyment of all.
The US Forest Service has been instead treating wilderness as an elite playground that only upper management of the Forest Service may visit, especially places like Cabin Creek and Chamberlain Basin.
In recent years, those places have become luxury resorts for elite members of the Payette National Forest who find themselves lucky enough to be flown in to the remote locations for private fishing and hunting excursions....all at taxpayer expense.
Namely, that the Forest Service, especially the Payette National Forest, is violating federal laws by locking people out of the wilderness, which is the exact opposite of Congress' intent when it passed the Wilderness Act.
Click for larger image
Airstrips and certain backcountry roads were to remain in place to give the public access to newly designated wilderness that had been set aside from economic development.
Senator Risch claims that the Forest Service is causing "resentment" and "negative" public sentiment by locking taxpayers out of the wilderness, which Congress intended for the enjoyment of all.
The US Forest Service has been instead treating wilderness as an elite playground that only upper management of the Forest Service may visit, especially places like Cabin Creek and Chamberlain Basin.
In recent years, those places have become luxury resorts for elite members of the Payette National Forest who find themselves lucky enough to be flown in to the remote locations for private fishing and hunting excursions....all at taxpayer expense.
I believe Chamberlain and Cabin Creek are accessed by hundreds of private and commercial aircraft every year. I may not always agree with the decisions the Forest Service makes, but in over 40 years of working with the agency, I have never seen them use an area as their own private playground. It may happen but it certainly isn't the rule.
ReplyDeleteI was told that the cabins and facilities are off limits to private citizens.
DeleteIndeed, Idaho Aviation Foundation's website states that public camping facilities have been "removed".
ReplyDeleteThe US Forest Service doesn't show any accomodations for the public at Chamberlain Basin or Cabin Creek. Although there are lodges, electricity for Forest Service workers who frequent those facilities while conducting "wilderness" studies.
Cabin Creek was a robust town until the Forest Service closed the only access road to the town, then made landowners "an offer you can't refuse".