Sequoia ForestKeeper assures environmentally sound compliance with the laws through participation in project-level planning, commenting, appealing, and when necessary litigating proposed projects that could negatively affect the ecosystems of the southern Sierra Nevada, including the Giant Sequoia National Monument and Forest (GSNM). Comments specifically about GSNM projects are found here. http://www.sequoiaforestkeeper.org/comments_and_appeals.aspx

California Chaparral Institute's response to Governor Brown's Executive Order "The most devastating wildfires cited (including the Thomas, Tubbs, Nuns, and Atlas Fires) were many miles away from such forests. And while it is reasonable to remove hazard trees immediately adjacent to roads and homes, it makes no sense to spend millions of dollars to treat entire forests while the actual fire threat facing thousands of families occurs very far away from these forests."

(1) In answer to the stated objective of EJAC is to determine how to differently manage forests to reduce Greenhouse gasses (GHGs) and increase carbon storage, I stated that forests must be managed as closed canopy forests. Maintaining closed canopy forests, rather than logging, will increase forest moisture, and decrease forest temperature and surface winds, which will all reduce severe wildfires and increase carbon sequestration. (2) In response to a presenter’s statement that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is charged with considering impacts, of its decisions, to individuals in disadvantaged communities in order to not create barriers to the use of energy efficiency, I stated that the CPUC’s decision to allow power companies to charge customers who generate solar power a grid connect fee that increases the minimum monthly charge for power to $10, which would be a dis-incentive to invest in solar panels for individuals in disadvantaged communities. (3) Written and oral comment on Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy were submitted on behalf of Jan Dietrick, MPH, Steering Committee, Ventura County Climate Hub, Ventura, CA 805.746.5365, Todd Shuman, Senior Analyst, Wasteful Unreasonable Methane Uprising, Camarillo, CA 805.987.8203, and Sequoia ForestKeeper, Kernville, CA, which included three recommended actions for methane emissions reduction to achieve 80% reduction below current levels by 2030: (A) A robust fee or fine on unburnt, uncaptured methane emissions of $4700/CH4 ton (in 2007 US dollars) paid by emitters, (B) A rapidly decreasing mandatory cap on allowable methane emissions from all sources, and
(C) Discontinuation of subsidies on animal products.

Attachment A - March 27, 2014

Request to Re-Evaluate Various Projects in the Sequoia National Forest in Response to Significant New Information about the Effects from Thinning and Burning on the Pacific Fisher 

Attachment B - September 11, 2013

An assessment of fisher (Pekania pennanti) tolerance to forest management intensity on the landscape 

Attachment C - Zielinski e-mail to Voss  

Attachment E1 - Summit & Adjacent Projects 

Attachment E2 - Cumulative Projects

Attachment E3 - Greenhorn Mtn. Project Files

• Exhibit 1- Hume Roadside Hazard PEA

• Exhibit 2- Conservation Science in the Sierra

• Exhibit 3- Hanson Bioscience Report
  

• Exhibit A- SFK and SC Long Meadow Scoping Comments

• Exhibit B- Photos of the Halstead Meadow Restoration Work

• Exhibit C- Photos of the site one year later
  

• Exhibit D- Perazzo Meadows Report

• Exhibit A- DellaSala GSNM Report Final

• Exhibit B- Hansen Declaration for Sierra Club GSNM

• Exhibit C- Hazard Tree Procedures Forest Service Handbook
  

• Exhibit A- Black Gulch North Google Earth View