WALLY HERGER
2nd DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA

PLEASE REPLY TO

WASHINGTON OFFICE:
2433 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
(202) 225-3076

DISTRICT OFFICES:

55 INDEPENDENCE CIRCLE, SUITE 104
CHICO, CA 95973
(916) 893-8363

410 HEMSTED DRIVE, SUITE115
REDDING, CA 96002
(916) 223-5898

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515-0502

COMMITTEE ON
WAYS AND MEANS
_____________

COMMITTEE ON
THE BUDGET

March 5, 1998

Lynn Sprague
Regional Forester
USDA Forest Service
630 Sansome Street
San Francisco, CA 94111

Dear Lynn:

     Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and with the group of concerned grazing allotment holders to discuss implementation of the Quincy Library Group (QLG) legislation currently befrore the United States Senate, and the future of grazing on our national forests. I appreciate your willingness to discuss this issue.

     Several concerns were mentioned by the allotment holders regarding the possibility that implemenation of the QLG legislation will be used to detrimentally impact grazing on the Plumas, Lassen and Tahoe National Forests. These include: 1) Concerns that fuel breaks will extend into riparian areas thereby allowing interest groups to argue that relevant regulations require theremoval of cattle from those riparian areas; and 2). That definition of the term "specific location" as referenced in subsection (c)(2)(c) could include landbase for the entire project and would not be limited to site specific management activities conducted pursuant to subsection (d).

     Please respond to these concerns and clarify the Forest Service interpretation of how these issues would be implemented upon final passage of the QLG legislation.

     Again, thank you for meeting with me on this important issue.

Sincerely,

/s/
Wally Herger
Member of Congress