And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Ken Jacobs Coconino National Forest Flagstaff AZ Dear Mr Jacobs, I wish to state my support for the withdrawal from mineral entry of federal publicly-owned lands in the San Francisco Peaks. This region, as I'm sure you're aware, has great significance for the religious practice of many Native Americans. It is also highly susceptible to long-term environmental damage from land-disturbing activities such as mining. For these reasons, I ask the Forest Service to bid further expansion of any mining claims, and I ask that existing claims be bought out and the area rehabilitated as much as possible to the pre-mining condition. Our country can no longer afford to subsidize corporations that destroy the Earth. It's of particular concern when we are paying them, in the form of tax breaks, below-market rate structures, give-away mineral rights, and other incentives to destroy our PUBLICLY-OWNED lands. We must end the commercial exploitation of our public lands and stop the logging, grazing, mining and recreational development that is ruining these heritage lands which belong to the public and are supposed to be held in trust by the Forest Service and other agencies for the benefit of ours and future generations. I applaud the recent, yet minimal, efforts by the Forest Service to turn away from the damaging policies that have been the hallmark of federal land mismanagement policies of the last century. But far more is needed. It is now time to be bold. Kick the moneychangers and the merchants out of our temple--the beautiful yet maligned American Wilderness. Thank you for your consideration, David Orr 350-B Waldo Avenue Pasadena CA 91101 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
