Forest Service mismanagement is one thing many
environmentalists, ranchers and loggers agree is a problem. Now the
Government Accounting Office has chimed in with a July 31 report to
Congress that says the Forest Service’s decision-making culture is
one of “indifference toward accountability.” The agency’s inability
to make timely decisions costs taxpayers millions of dollars each
year and harms the environment, the GAO says. Meanwhile,
“deteriorated aquatic or riparian ecosystems cannot be restored and
the critical habitat of an endangered species cannot be protected
until a decision is made.” Forest Service spokesman Alan Polk
declined to comment on the report until his agency has had time to
study it. But, he said, “We have nothing to hide.”
To get a copy of the report, The Results Act:
Observations on the Forest Service’s May 1997 Draft Plan, call the
GAO at 202/512-6000. Fax orders to 301/258-4066, or e-mail the GAO
at http://www.gao.gov
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Just in time for the budget requests.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
