Document QXwdr1EzLjDMMOOaJ7x1R5kbR

From: Goode, Ann E -FS Sent: 21 Jun 2017 18:21:25+0000 To: Weeks, Andria -FS Cc: Snieckus, Mary -FS Subject: FW: Thank you and follow up Attachments: 2017-06-12 EO 13781 collab letter.pdf, economics Ietterv2.pdf, WildernessSociety_etal_E013781_Junel2.pdf, Outdoor Industry comment on EO 13781.pdf, Outdoor Alliance comment on EO 13781.pdf, NGO_Letter_EO_USDA_May_2017.pdf FYI, A From: Vera Smith [mailto:vera_smith@tws.org] Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2017 1:12 PM To: Goode, Ann E -FS <aegoode@fs.fed.us>; Velasco, Robert -FS <robertvelasco@fs.fed.us> Cc: josh_hicks@tws.org Subject: Thank you and follow up Dear Robert and Annie, Thank you very much for taking the time to meet two weeks ago, and being so generous with your time. In regard to the Forest Service's implementation of the executive orders, as we discussed, we are looking forward to opportunities to engage in the conversation and review draft products. In that vein, I am attaching a copy of a letter that a number of conservation organizations sent to Chief Tidwell and Acting Deputy Undersecretary Dan Jiron in May asking for transparency and inclusion in the review processes associated with the Executive Orders. In addition, FYI I wanted to share with you the attached letters that were submitted to the OMB Director by various entities in response to the open comment period (closed June 12) on Executive Order 13781: Comprehensive Plan for Reorganizing the Executive Branch. These letters express support for the federal lands agencies, emphasize the benefits they provide the country, and highlight the high return on investment to the taxpayer. As a FYI, we also provided copies of these letters to the Department. Letter from 30 economists across the United States, in support of the public lands agencies explaining how Federal public lands and waters are integral to sustaining healthy local economies. Letter from about 126 recreation organizations and another letter from about 60 recreation businesses from across the U.S. in support of the public land agencies. The letters emphasize the economic value of our federal public lands from a conservation and recreation standpoint. Letter from 51 diverse entities across North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee in support of Forest Service programs that hugely benefit the communities and economies across the Southern Appalachian region. While the people signing the letter represent diverse interests, they all agree that increased funding for the Forest Service and its collaborative/infrastructure/stewardship programs is a good investment for the American taxpayer. Letter from national conservation organizations - The Wilderness Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Western Environmental Law Center, and Sierra Club - in support of the public land agencies and their conservation and recreation programs. Please let me know if you have questions. With regards, Vera P.S. Please note that b)(6) (josh hicks(5)tws.org) will be the point of contact in my absence. Josh Hicks Vera Smith National Forest Planning and Policy Director The Wilderness Society 303.650.5942 www.wilderness.org #OurWild Facebook | Twitter | Instaqram | Medium We protect wilderness and inspire Americans to carefor our wildplaces Southern Appalachian National Forest Stakeholders June 12,2017 Director Mick Mulvaney Office of Management and Budget 725 17th St. NW Washington, D.C. 20503 Submitted electronically via regulations.gov Re: Notice of Request for Comment on Government-wide Reform Dear Director Mulvaney, The undersigned stakeholders represent a broad range of interests in public lands in the Southern Appalachians. We are sportsmen, purchasers of forest products, environmental conservation groups, recreation users and businesses, youth camps, tribal leaders, watershed protection groups, and local governments. In response to your request for comments under Executive Order 13781, we strongly urge you to maintain and strengthen the vital functions and programs of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which manages several million acres of public lands in our region. Within easy driving distance from many major population centers, the National Forests of the Southern Appalachians receive millions of visitors each year and provide clean drinking water to millions more downstream, anchoring our local economies, culture, and quality of life. The work of federal land managers--maintaining trails and roads, providing habitat for wildlife, restoring healthy forests and watersheds, stewarding existing wilderness, and planning for the future--is critical to our communities, members, and constituencies. The Federal Register notice requesting comments on Executive Order 13781 asks the public to weigh in on which agencies and functions should be eliminated, transferred to nonfederal entities, or modified, and in particular to comment on those with poor cost/benefit ratios. As a diverse group of stakeholders, one thing we all heartily agree on is that public lands are among the country's smartest investments, providing incredible value at low cost to taxpayers. The Forest Service receives just a tiny fraction of the federal budget, but the economic benefit of our national forests is enormous. In addition to clean water and other ecosystem services, they support diverse economies from local to national scales, including an outdoor Southern Appalachian National Forest Stakeholders recreation industry that contributes nearly $900 billion and 7.6 million jobs to the American economy--$90 billion and 1 million jobs in our region alone. With consistently high visitor satisfaction scores, we might be so bold as to say that no other federal agency function creates such a strong sense that the public is getting its money's worth. Not only do federal lands provide great value for the public, but they also do it with increasing efficiency and accountability. As budgets have been stretched by maintenance backlogs and firefighting needs, federal land managers have responded with innovative collaborative approaches to reduce friction, increase partner investment, and produce scaled management projects. These efforts have also created enhanced transparency and trust between the government and the public. Many of us have served as stakeholders in these processes, and we believe improved efficiency comes from working together locally, from the ground up. We have already seen remarkable improvements firsthand, and we hope you will help us build on those successes. Despite heroic efforts to do more with less, many Forest Service functions are strained to their limits. Further cuts to USFS programs will directly harm the communities and economies that are connected to our forests. We therefore encourage you to support the vital functions that support our communities: Protecting clean water; Creating local jobs, from timber and forest products to recreation and tourism; Managing wildlife habitat and fisheries; Managing fire and protecting forest neighbors; Maintaining infrastructure and addressing legacy roads and trails; Working cooperatively with State and Tribal governments and private landowners; Stewarding trails, wilderness, and cultural resources; Law enforcement; Land and resource planning, assessment, and monitoring; and The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. In addition, to the extent that you recommend organizational changes, we suggest that you prioritize the following: A fire funding mechanism that halts the erosion of other programs due to increasing suppression costs, provides for emergency funding, and does not require "borrowing" from other discretionary funds. Additional staff and resources to support and expand innovative collaborative solutions to reduce conflict and produce the best projects possible, and to assist line officers in transitioning to a culture of collaborative, integrated project development. Resources to address deferred maintenance needs in collaboration with stakeholders and state and local authorities in order to meet needs for resource management, water quality, recreation, and traditional and cultural uses. Thank you for considering these comments. Sincerely, 2 Southern Appalachian National Forest Stakeholders Access Fund Alabama Rivers Alliance Zachary Lesch-Huie, Southeast Regional Director Cindy Lowry, Executive Director National Alabama American Whitewater Kevin Colburn, National Stewardship Director National Appalachian Voices Thom Kay, Senior Legislative Representative North Carolina and Virginia Atlanta Audubon Society Nikki Belmonte, Executive Director Georgia Audubon North Carolina Curtis Smalling, Director of Conservation North Carolina Backcountry Horsemen of North Carolina Deirdre Lightsey North Carolina Carolina Mountain Club Barbara Morgan, President North Carolina North Carolina Resource Conservation and Development Melissa Patton, Carolina Land and Lakes RC&D North Carolina Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Juliet Cohen, Executive Director Georgia Chattooga Conservancy Nicole Hayler, Executive Director Georgia Cherokee Forest Voices Catherine Murray, Cherokee Forest Voices Tennessee Defenders of Wildlife Ben Prater, Southeastern Program Director National Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Joey Owle, Secretary of Agriculture Sovereign Environment Georgia Jennette Gayer, Director Georgia French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson North Carolina Friends of Shenandoah Mountain Lynn Cameron, Co-Chair Virginia Georgia Bartram Trail Society John Ray Georgia Georgia Conservancy Robert Ramsay, President Georgia Georgia ForestWatch, Georgia Mary Topa, Ph.D., Executive Director Georgia Graham County (NC 11th District) Sophia Paulos, Economic Development Director Graham County, North Carolina Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition, North Carolina Callie Moore, Executive Director North Carolina and Georgia Mountain High Hikers Richard Sullivan, President Georgia MountainTrue Julie Mayfield North Carolina National Parks Conservation Association Jeffrey Hunter, Southeast Region Prog. Mgr. National North Carolina Sierra Club Judy Mattox, Chair Wenoca Group North Carolina 3 Southern Appalachian National Forest Stakeholders North Carolina Trout Unlimited John Rich North Carolina North Carolina Wildlife Federation Tim Gestwicki North Carolina Partners of Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness Richard Evans, President North Carolina Potomac Riverkeeper Network Jeff Kelble, President Virginia and Washington DC Shenandoah Riverkeeper Mark Frondorf Virginia Southern Appalachian Mineral Society Ken Casebeer North Carolina Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards Bill Hodge, Executive Director Southeast Southern Off Road Bicycle Association Tom Sauret, Executive Director Southeast Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning Sandra Goss, Executive Director Tennessee The Orianne Society Chris Jenkins, Ph.D., CEO Georgia Upper Potomac Riverkeeper Brent Walls Virginia and Washington DC Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill North Carolina Wild South Kevin Massey, Executive Director Southeast North Carolina High Peaks Trail Association Jake Blood, Board Member North Carolina North Carolina Youth Camp Association Maggie Howe North Carolina Potomac Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks Virginia and Washington DC Root Cause Local Forest Products Lang Hornthai North Carolina Shenandoah Valley Network Kate Wofford, Executive Director Virginia Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards Annie Jane Cotten Virginia Southern Environmental Law Center Sam Evans, Nat'l Parks & Forests Prog. Leader Southeast SouthWings Hume Davenport, Executive Director Southeast The Clinch Coalition Diana Withen, President Virginia The Wilderness Society Jill Gottesman, S. Appalachian Cons. Specialist National Virginia Wilderness Committee, Virginia Mark Miller, Executive Director Virginia Watauga Watershed Alliance, Tennessee Gloria Griffith Tennessee 4 Southern Appalachian National Forest Stakeholders cc: The Honorable Sonny Perdue Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Enclosure: Southern Appalachian National Forest Facts 5