The U.S. Forest Service (FS) will hold two meetings, September 12th and 14th, regarding a “Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Study” and a “Wilderness Inventory” that have been prepared for the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas (NFGT) Forest Plan revision assessment.  All Sierrans are urged to attend these meetings.  If you cannot attend these meetings please submit your initial comments based on the information provided below.

The two meetings will be in an open house format from 10 am to 6 pm.  Materials, maps, and data will be available for review at the meetings and at the FS website (www.fs.usda.gov/texas) and FS personnel will be there to answer your questions.  Public comments are due on October 15, 2017 and are sent in writing to Theresa Mathis, Forest Planner, NFGT, 2221 N. Raguet St., Lufkin, TX  75904 or by email to tjmathis@fs.fed.us. 

The FS will hold a presentation about the “Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Study” and “Wilderness Inventory” each evening from 6 to 6:30 pm with a question and answer period from 6:30 to 8 pm.  The meetings will occur on September 12, 2017 at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center, 601 North Second Street, Lufkin, Texas and September 14, 2017 at the San Augustine Chamber of Commerce, 611 West Columbia Street, San Augustine, Texas.  The Sept. 12th meeting will focus on the Davy Crockett and Sam Houston National Forests and the September 14th meeting will focus on the Angelina and Sabine National Forests.

The Sierra Club urges people to submit their initial comments based on the following:

All segments of the Neches River that flow through the NFGT, the East Fork of the San Jacinto River, and Winters Bayou in Sam Houston National Forest should be considered as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers in any study.  Winters Bayou and one segment of the Neches River were considered eligible for the wild and scenic river status in the present 1996 Forest Plan.  The East Fork of the San Jacinto River was left out of the wild and scenic river study in 1996 and should be considered now.  The Sierra Club supports wild, scenic, or recreational river eligibility for these rivers.  The FS should not disqualify any river segment solely based on the premise that other rivers in Texas or other states provide a similar wild, scenic, or recreational experience or ecological setting.

Big Creek and Winters Bayou Scenic Areas should be considered for wilderness eligibility due to their natural and untrammeled conditions.

The Sierra Club will provide additional information and guidance about comments after we have read and reviewed the wild and scenic river study and wilderness inventory.  For more information contact Brandt Mannchen at 832-907-3615 or brandtshnfbt@juno.com.