Medicine Bow Landscape Vegetation Analysis (LaVA) project: The WCA Executive Board of the Wyoming Cabin Association held a phone conference Sunday, February 11, 2018 to discuss the Medicine Bow Landscape Vegetation Analysis (LaVA) project.
We first became aware of this project thanks to one of our Board members forwarding an article from the local newspaper, which is attached. Afterwards another Board member reached out to Dr. Duane Keown, Professor Emeritus, Scinenc Education, University of Wyoming, the author of the article, for a little more background. Dr. Keown and fellow associates from the University of Wyoming and Sierra Club have been very active in getting the word out about this project and the reasoning behind their opposition to the project.
The basis of the initial proposed project is “vegetation treatments” over the next 10 to 15 years of 844,000 acres of the national forest in the Snowy Range and Sierra Madre, including 561,000 acres made available for “mechanical treatment” (i.e. logging), all of which will entail adding 600 miles of temporary roads and 10 miles of permanent roads. The rationale behind this project has to do with reducing the fire risk and/or improve forest ecology due to the bark beetle infestation.
Needless to say, the project is expansive. The Forest Service’s reasoning is not supported by current scientific research, and there is concern for how this project will affect other uses of the national forest. An Environmental Impact Statement is currently scheduled to be released in May 2018. If you want more detailed information on LaVA, I have attached a couple files for you.
After discussing this project this past Sunday, the Executive Board has unanimously voted to add WCA’s voice to the side of the opposition for this project. It appears as if up to 116 cabins in the Medicine Bow Forest could be impacted from this project. WCA will also reach out to federal, state, and local legislatures and the growing list of groups opposing this project.
Russell M Bacon, Forest Supervisor has announced the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the LaVa project is available for a 45-day public review and comment period. The cover letter and DEIS are available on the LaVa website (look in the Analysis section) or available at LaVa Draft Environmental Impact Statement Cover Letter and LaVa Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Project information, including information about public engagement sessions during the comment period, is available on the LaVa website. Public comments on the proposal are due August 13, 2018.<