HISTORY:
In 2008, the Forest Service began the acquisition of approximately 40,000 acres of land from Western Pacific Timber. These lands are located in the upper Lochsa River drainage and are intermingled with the Clearwater National Forest. Funds were not available to outright purchase the land in question and so a land swap was proposed. Five different proposals have been made (Options “A” through “E”) involving land located in the Clearwater, Nez Perce, and Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
In 2011, the Idaho County Commissioners proposed that the land to be exchanged should be located exclusively inside Idaho County, now called “Option F.” (See map on reverse.) The commissioners did NOT involve the public when selecting the parcels and instead made back room deals that will affect those of us who utilizes Forest Service land nearby our communities.
Western Pacific Timber is owned by Tim Blixseth and does not actually own any timber equipment. He has a reputation for corruption, defaults and lies. His mode of operation is to “flip” land to other private timber companies who will log the land and then develop the land into residential or recreational properties and then sell it off. Idaho Forest Group appears to be poised to purchase the land from Western Pacific Timber and we expect their in-house development company, Black Swan Development, to then develop and sell the land.
DO NOT BE FOOLED – once this Forest Service Land is privatized, there is little or nothing that anyone can do to control the development of this land. WE WILL ALL LOSE THE USE OF THIS LAND AS A PUBLIC RESOURCE.
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:
The Forest Service is now in control of the fate of “Option F”. Once they received the proposal from the Idaho County Commissioners, the Forest Service had to solicit information on liens & encumbrances from private owners near the affected land. Nearby property owners must submit their information by October 24th. Sometime in November, a Supplemental Impact Statement will be published, after which comments from the public will be accepted for 45 days. After the comment period, the Forest Service will decide which parcels of Forest Service land will be traded to Western Pacific Timber and become private property.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
NOW: Monitor the STOP THE SWAP website, www.stoptheswap.net
Contact Rick Brazell of the US Forest Service and ask him to remove “Option F” from consideration. At this point, only Mr. Brazell can stop “Option F” from moving forward until the comment period begins sometime in November. Let him know that the Idaho County Commissioners did not involve the residents in the “Option F” proposal and that you expect thousands of residents in the area to object to “Option F” once the comment period begins.
Rick Brazell, Forest Supervisor, 12730 Highway 12, Orofino, ID 83544. Email: RBrazell@fs.fed.us. Phone: 208-476-4541
IN NOVEMBER:
After the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is published, we will notify the public using radio and newspapers to inform them of who to contact with their comments. We will provide the SPECIFIC information you will need to prepare your comments, along with sample letters.
Since the Forest Service will not accept comments on the “Option F” land until the comment period begins, WATCH FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT!
Vote for County Commissioners that will better represent the will of the people!
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