RFC: Oil and gas leasing in the Los Padres National Forest?

From the 30-Jan-02 Santa Maria Times - The public comment period for the Los Padres National Forest oil and gas leasing study has been extended until April 19 (the original due date was 15-Feb-02).

This is a chance to make your voice heard, so go to the Forest Service web site and read/comment. They need to know how the public feels about this issue.

The US Forest Service is inviting public input on a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) that describes several alternative strategies for managing potential oil and gas leasing within the forest. The document was released for public review in late December, and the comment period has been extended until April 19, 2002. It is available for review on the Los Padres Forest web site

Required by the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987, the study has been underway since 1995, on approximately 767,000 acres of Los Padres National Forest land that spans an area from Monterey to Ventura and Kern counties. However, designated wilderness areas, watersheds, and coastal zones are not part of the study area (and thus, won't be open to any oil and gas development).

There's a ton of information available on the above web site, including maps of the study area, a summary, and the complete text of the DEIS. Go ahead and participate. Do you have an opinion about this issue? How informed are you? Review the material, and leave your comments. The government can't do the right thing if they don't get any feedback from the public. This is your chance to participate in the democratic process.

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