Quincy Library Group Meeting Notes
June 24, 1998 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Plumas Unified School District Board Meeting Room
Quincy, California

Introductions/Attendance: Bob Allen (Burney Forest Products), D. Bogener (Dept. of Water Resources), L. Charbonier (USFS, Mt. Hough RD), B. Coates (Les Schwab Tire Center), R. Comstock (Comstock Safety), M. De Lasaux (UC Cooperative Extension), H. Eisenman (retired USFS), B. Farnworth (Feather River Resource Conservation District), P. Harris (Labor Union), M. Jackson (Friends of Plumas Wilderness), J. Braxton-Little (Freelance journalist), J. London (UC Ford Fellow), T. Mason (Ogden Wood Energy), J. Mitchell (Loyalton Women In Timber), J. Sheehan (Plumas Corporation), M. Santuccio (California Dept. of Forestry & Fire Protection), Steve & Phyllis Self (Sierra Pacific Industries and Shasta Women In Timber), F. Stewart (County QLG Forester), D. Stone (USFS, Plumas NF), George & Pat Terhune (Plumas County Citizens), B. West (Sierra Pacific Industries, Quincy), S. Wilbanks (USFS, Sierraville RD), M. Yost (Friends of Plumas Wilderness)

1. Review/Approve Agenda

Additions: Elam/Carter Culldeck sale - T. Mason (Item 9)
Steve Kennedy - Cannonball Express - M. De Lasaux (Item 14)
Letter Campaign - B. Coates (Item 4 a)

2. Review/Approve 5/7/98 Meeting Notes
    m- S. Self, s- R. Comstock, p- unanimously

3. Review recent/upcoming meetings

M. Jackson - Participated in press meeting in Montana which included L. Blumberg of The Wilderness Society. Vice Presidents of National Environmental also groups participated.

M. Jackson - Participated in panel at Alliance for America Fly-In-for-Freedom meeting in Washington DC. While in DC Northeast US Senate staffers were briefed in Sen. Craig's office. Meeting was set-up by Brian Bishop

J. Sheehan - Testified at hearing for AB1642.

G. Terhune - Sent thank you to Rocky Main for support of UC Wm. Main Distinguished Visitor program.

P. Harris - Sen. Boxer informational picket/demonstration in SF. M. Draper participated and met with Boxer the next day. T. Mason recommended similar activity while in Fresno for Sierra NF field trip.

4. QLG Bill report (B. Coates, M. Jackson & T. Nelson)

Report of QLG member efforts to solicit letters of support for Sens. Feinstein and Boxer

M. Jackson - Boxer will not change position. Appropriations language includes $12 mm for QLG area forests ($6 mm in regular mgmt. & $6 mm attached to Natural Fuels Treatment funds).
There was discussion of possible senarios for legislation to be passed in Senate.
J. Braxton-Little - Asked if funds come for work on the ground what does that do to the bill? QLG response “nothing”

Further discussion of Mr. Roney concerns.
ACTION ITEM 1 - Send text of M. Jackson's letter to Mr. Roney on QLG letter head and place a copy on the QLG website. /m B. Allen/s P. Harris/passed unanimously
ACTION ITEM 2 - Send letter to Mr. J. Braly of California Cattlemen's Association, Mr. B. Vice (Calif. Farm Bureau) inviting to next QLG meeting.
Discussion regarding experience in Pacific Northwest where SAT guidelines have been implemented.
ACTION ITEM 3 - Send letter to Mr. S. Bishop (R5 Range Program Coordinator) inquiring about SAT effects in PNW. /m J. Sheehan/s P. Harris/passed unanimously
B. Coates discussed Bill prospects with M. Rey, D. Chadwick and D. Gibson. All were confident but suggested further patience.

5. Implementation & Consultation Committee Report (M. Yost & G. Terhune)
G. Terhune suggested getting the ball rolling with scoping of issues. It was also suggested that a letter be sent to ICC members asking for concerns and scoping issues. G. Terhune also mentioned Camp Project planning on Mt. Hough RD and the approach to thinning being taken.

6. Forest Health Pilot Project (S. Baremore & D. Stone)
D. Stone noted FS received additional $3.7mm funds ($1.5mm for Natural Fuels, $0.9 mm for Forest Veg. Mgt., $0.3 for mm Pre-commercial thin, $0.9 mm for building GIS database for EIS)
J. Sheehan asked about monitoring. DS stated that `97 carryover funds of $250k is maintaining monitoring program.
F. Stewart asked about the `98 plan of work. M. De Lasaux mentioned that he had also suggested development of a listing of QLG type activities similar to that developed for 1997. D. Stone responded that that wasn't being done at the that time.
P. Harris asked about the PNF workforce strategy. D. Stone reported that PNF developed strategy in consideration of flat budgets (declining with inflation) resulting in workforce reduction by 2001. Thought that attrition should accomodate changes. The PNF expects increased contracting opportunities to respond to increased funds. M. De Lasaux noted that the PNF had made the process public by releasing the plan and seeking comments.
J. Kennedy to report on FHP monitoring program at the next meeting.

7. Sierra Nevada Conservation Framework (M. De Lasaux)
FS information including core staff meeting notes, Regional Forester Sprague memo and USFS press releases have been placed on the QLG website.

8. Liberty Project (L. Blum)
M. Jackson remarked that the project did not appear to be consistent with the QLG. S. Wilbanks stated that he didn't think it was inconsistent. He further noted that the appeals, one of which was by the Lahanton Regional Water Quality Control Board, were based largely on the cummulative watershed effects analysis which was performed using extra conservative coefficients resulting in 3 watersheds being over threshold.
M. Jackson asked about the Lahanton RWQCB appeal. S. Wilbanks responsed that their response was based on the status of the Little Truckee river as impaired under the Clean Water Act. LRWQCB suggested cut-to-length harvesting system should be used in watersheds over threshold. S. Wilbanks pointed out irony of LRWQCB citing paper by Reid (sp?) stating the cumulative watershed effects analysis can't be used for predicting effects.
T. Mason noted that cut-to-length (CTL) harvesting is being used in the Tahoe basin. B. West noted that there aren't enough operators and that the results aren't different.
S. Wilbanks In terms of other appeals he stated that there were problems with communication in NEPA process. CTL was contemplated. Hydrologist and soil scientists were comfortable with the mitigations. Appellants felt that the alternative was not considered in detail. The appellants 1) didn't trust FS to do the mitigation, 2) wouldn't do the mitigation correctly and 3) the mitigations would not be effective. Members of the appellants stated that FS listens to QLG but not to us.
B. West asked if LRWQCB understands fire and fuels situation. S. Wilbanks thought that they were relatively uninformed. M. Jackson suggested a field trip with Tom Sook(?) and Sam Singer(?) and discussing CWE and why a “yellow light is a red light”.
B. West asked “what happens with Liberty Project. S. Wilbanks remarked that the Liberty Project has been withdrawn because of the Regional Forester's May 1 memo which stated that those projects applying adaptive management strategy of the California Spotted Owl Interim Guidelines would be reviewed by the RO and PSW. “It won't be a sale until 1999”.

9. Elam/Carter Cull Decks (T. Mason)
T. Mason described cull decks that were in QLG off-base area. M. Yost noted that these off-base areas are those recommended by S. Evans (Friends of the River). T. Mason to draft letter to LNF that utilization of these cull decks was not inconsistent with the QLG. In the absence of L. Blum, M. De Lasaux thought that she might ask about large woody debris in the area and whether some of the cull logs could be distributed out from landing.

10 So. Sierra NF Field Trip (M. De Lasaux)
G. Terhune to coordinate. Participants include Sheehan, Self, Murphy, Allen, Jackson, Stewart, Yost, Comstock, Stone + 5 PNF staff, Terhunes, Mason and Harris.

11. Foundation Funding Activities (J. Sheehan & P. Terhune)
J. Sheehan reported that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has provided addtional funds for ethanol efforts. Surdna Fdn. and Irvine Fdn. need to have deliverables to include improved scientist involvement in activities and involvement of distant stakeholders. P. Terhune noted that she needed peer review for Fish & Wildlife Fdn. proposal. She also noted that the Compton Fdn. has sent regrets.

12. Biofuels/Ethanol Activities (J. Sheehan & T. Mason)
T. Mason remarked that a letter from the Dept. of Energy had been sent to Bill Keese of the California Energy Commission committing to cover 50% of the PIER proposal under the existing DOE-CEC MOU. QLG asked for large $ for PIER projects to include bioenergy full-cycle analysis and for fire surrogates proposal. Results of round one PIER RFP resulted in top 10 projects funded- Ogden Power was ranked #12 and Collins Pine Co. was ranked #17. Both resubmitted on second round. Letter from DOE creates optimism.

13. Silviculture/Group Selection Whitepaper (M. Yost)
S. Self remarked that these relationships are an opportunity to integrate considerations from some time ago. G. Terhune noted that this should be completed in advance of the Bill EIS. S. Self stated that issue #1 should be addressed but not in this white paper. Issue #2 OK. Discussion of the paper was tabled to be considered by Implementation Committee.

14. Cannonball Express (M. De Lasaux)
M. De Lasaux discussed interest expressed by Steve Kennedy who is developing a video focused on fuel management in the urban environment (Woodland Hills- Redwood City). Mr. Kennedy expressed interest in linking to the QLG website and asked that the QLG link to his. QLG determined that Mr. Kennedy may provide a link to the QLG site but the QLG did not have sufficient interest in linking to his site.

15. Next meeting
July 23 and August 13

SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS

ITEM 1 - Send MJ's letter to Mr. Roney on QLG letter head and place a copy on the QLG website.

ITEM 2 - Send letter to Mr. J. Braly of California Cattlemen's Association, Mr. B. Vice (Calif. Farm Bureau) inviting to next QLG meeting.

ITEM 3 - Send letter to Mr. S. Bishop (R5 Range Program Coordinator) inquiring about SAT effects in PNW. /m J. Sheehan/s P. Harris/passed unanimously

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