Connie J. Harris

1421 Grays Creek Road

Grants Pass, OR 97527

January 5, 2008

Bureau of Land Management

Western Oregon Plan Revisions Office

333 SW 1^st^ Ave.

Portland, OR 97208

**RE: BLM WESTERN OREGON PLAN REVISIONS**

Dear BLM,

I am very concerned about the possibility of devastating effects on our
quality of life if any of the WOPR action alternatives are implemented,
and strongly urge you to consider the alternative proposal submitted to
you by the Applegate Partnership in October of 2005.

I live in the wooded area on Grays Creek near Grants Pass Oregon, so I
and my neighbors are very concerned about being trapped in a wildfire.
Since any alternative that relies on clearcutting is likely to increase
fire hazard for decades, I beg you to reject any clearcutting and to
rely on your own BLM analyses which show that the No Action Alternative
would produce the best fire safety conditions.

We are also very worried that the precious water in our wells could
decrease or be contaminated if the BLM forests above and around us would
be logged intensively and creek buffers are decreased. We are worried
about mudslides if clearcutting were done above us (ala U.S. 30
landslide near Portland last month).

I am very upset that the peace and quiet where I live could be ruined
forever if the WOPR OHV emphasis areas are developed, in particular the
Spencer Creek area near my property, not to mention all the potential
environmental destruction as well as management and public conflict
nightmares for BLM.

I am also quite concerned about potential economic damage and increased
conflict and lawsuits if a WOPR action alternative is implemented.
Especially given the checkerboard location of BLM lands, 1) how will
property values be affected (by wells going dry or being contaminated,
OHV noise and destruction, ugly clear cuts, landslides, wildfire
destruction, noisy and polluting logging operations, etc.); 2) will
income from tourism be decreased; 3) will our economy eventually crash
as our natural resources are over exploited, especially given the added
stress of global climate change?

Any WOPR action alternative is likely to substantially increase public
resistance, protests and litigation. Will BLM need to deal with lawsuits
for violating the Endangered Species and Clear Water Acts and other
laws? Is this all going to cost more than we would gain by clearcutting,
and in addition risk increased social conflict? (In the last several
years, timber sales offered in the Applegate area have all met with a
lack of bidders, multiple protests, appeals or litigation).

I urge you to work toward a community-supported, science-based,
ecologically sound management plan, such as the Applegate Partnership
Proposal, which protects mature and ancient forests and focuses on
thinning projects on already logged areas.

I honestly feel that any of the WOPR action alternatives have the
potential to ruin our well being in western Oregon for decades to come.
I can also imagine that many of you at BLM are also unhappy with the
difficult, unpopular WOPR work you are now being mandated to do because
of "politics".

Therefore I strongly urge you to do anything you can to stand up and be
a positive force for a sustainable future for us all in western Oregon.

Thanks very much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Connie J. Harris

1421 Grays Creek Road

Grants Pass, OR 97527

CC: Oregon Congressional delegation