Rescue Tellico Letter Writing Campaign Letter Points

[JC]

We, the 4x4 community, have until March 28, 2009, to comment by letter to the Forest Service about their plans to close the Upper Tellico OHV area.

http://nc4x4.com/forums/showthread.p...004#post471004

This is a link to some letter writing points you may want to include. You can send more than one letter. Each letter is "lumped" into a category and ALL letters in that catagory are considered as one! You should write a different letter for each point you wish to make.

Send your letters to:
National Forests in NC, Attn: Candace Wyman
160A Zillicoa Street
Asheville, NC 28801


"-Mailed letter must include name, address and "verifiable" signature.

-Letter must include specific suggestions for improving specific aspects of the EA. Even if you just pick one aspect, give examples of how it could be done better.

-Recommend that the Forest Plan be amended to allow higher OHV trail density within the Upper Tellico OHV area specifically.

-Further recommend that the Forest Plan be amended to accomodate diversity among OHV users, specifically eliminating the following language: "providing trails with easy to moderate levels of challenge", which excludes the high challenge areas that we all drive several hours to enjoy.

-Provide alternatives for protecting the Brook Trout populations, including: fishing limitations, discontinuing the stocking of non-native species (rainbow & brown), followup analysis of populations after these measures are implemented.

-The proposed temporary storm-event closures are not logistically feasible, due to the substantial lead time necessary to plan a trip to Tellico.

-It is no coincidence that Alternative "C" is the preferred action for the Forest Service and the TU/PEER/Wildsouth/SELC environmental zealots.

-Send a separate letter to specifically oppose the "temporary closure" beginning April 1, 2009. This would directly contradict the previous proposal for certain trails to be closed "for a period not to exceed one year" and would contradict their temporary winter closure which should expire on April 1. Additionally, this proposal has already impacted the planned Spring Fling fundraiser event that is critical for our side. "

Text in quotes by board member GWS!