Bortz wants answers
Files FOIA request with Forest ServiceBy DEAN WELLS dwells@timesobserver.com
Warren County Commissioner John Bortz has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the U.S. Forest Service regarding the financial cost of preparing two Environmental Impact Statements for the Allegheny National Forest in 2008 through 2010.
In a letter dated Jan. 5, Bortz requested from ANF Forest Supervisor Leanne Marten financial documents that display the aggregated total amount of money spent on EISs prepared for amending the ANF's Forest Plan regarding its mineral management section and private oil and gas development projects on National Forest surface.
He also requested the salary figures for Forest Service employees that were spent on preparing the two EISs and financial documentation for material and supply costs for the two statements.
"I'm just curious to see how much of the taxpayers' money was spent," Bortz said.
Bortz also questioned why the Forest Service was able to conduct a forest-wide EIS concentrating on the oil and gas industry, but hasn't conducted a similar forest-wide study on timber harvesting.
Bortz said that timbering on the ANF is done on "management plots" which have been pre-identified by the Forest Service. He said the Forest Service currently conducts an environmental analysis on "virtually every timber sale." Bortz believes that a forest-wide analysis "would be a more efficient delivery of timber production in the ANF and would greatly enhance the efficiency of timber sales."
"The hold-up is all in the administration," Bortz said. "If we want to get more revenue to our communities and create jobs and, more importantly, harvest the timber (in the ANF) in a manner consistent with the Forest Plan, we need to make our administration more efficient. Right now, it's not."
Bortz said that a forest-wide analysis centered on timber harvesting would be "a prudent investment with a return."
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garypayton
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01-13-10 12:13 AM
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Forgive the typos. Laptop...
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garypayton
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01-13-10 12:12 AM
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John Bortz, feeding at the public trough, cheating on his wife on the paxpayers dime, and claiming true blue GOP values all the while, NOW is spending more taxpayers dollars to find out about how much of the tax payer's dollars have been spent by the ANF on staff time. No one could make up this kind of comedy. I think he just likes getting his name in the paper. Time to finish up his scrapbook and go bsck to the driving range he came from.
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Riggle
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01-11-10 2:54 PM
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Warren citizen---Nowadays it appears that whatever party they come from, they are unworthy of public trust. We had all better wake up and smell the coffee, because politicians will sell us down the road in a minute. As for Bortz, the people need to gather at the courthouse steps with pitchforks and throw his butt out!!
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WarrenCitizen
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01-11-10 2:30 PM
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Environmentalist...although I doubt we agree on much, I will concede your point about BORTZ..it's sad that all we can come up with for a candidate.
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alkalinegram
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01-11-10 12:12 PM
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I want answers from Bortz too. Like what his IQ and common sense rating is. It is all too obvious he sits in the back pocket of the oil and gas industry. He should def. be ousted along with the other two. Even though they might represent something different they sit all too silent for me sometimes.
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alkalinegram
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01-11-10 12:09 PM
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BORTZ...What a buffoon. Alot of good points highlighted here by the readers. He really has no clue and is dipping into something that should burn his ass. Where else would the money come from to do the EIS? How much of our money gets spent on fixing conewango ave every time the old railroad grade rears its ugly head? Fix it right the first time and we'd be alot further ahead. Bortz...Bottom line is a joke and consider him a bottom feeder.
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Riggle
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01-11-10 11:05 AM
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Talking to a friend, I learned that Bortz not only testified at Federal Court for the drilling, but spent three days sitting in the courtroom in Erie. Someone needs to FOIA the county to get the total cost of Bortz' escapade performing for the oil and gas companies in Federal Court. This while most folks in the county have tightened and re-tightened their belts. Let's be frank--this guy is using his position as county commissioner with an eye toward his own politcal future. He is sucked up tight to the industry for his own benefit at the county's (our) expense. What say the other two?
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Environmentalist
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01-11-10 10:18 AM
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Wait a minute! Did Bortz flip-flop again? I thought the last we heard from him on the matter he was on the side of the environment? He was talking about "responsible" oil and gas extraction and protecting the ANF. Has he now flip-flopped back to being staunchly on the side of oil and gas extraction at any cost? And Warren Citizen ... I laugh at your comment about voting him out of office! HE is your guy! The conservative candidate for whatever office he chooses to run for! He's the best you guys got!
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Kinzuaqueen
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01-11-10 9:55 AM
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What about the amount of county funds and staff time that were expended in the suit against the Forest Service and environmental groups and then the Judge ruled the county's claim was without out merit. Of course that might have had something to do with filing the suit and then trying to gather the evidence and information to support it. No other counties joined the suit with the oil companies. If Bortz wants to go on a personal mission to help destroy a national forest and support the interests of the oil/gas industry that is fine but don't do it on county time or with county taxpayer dollars.
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fivealive
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01-11-10 8:53 AM
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Bortz wants answers but he has yet to figure out the right questions to ask. If I were the ANF folks, I would take extreme exception to a local county commissioner offering his suggestions on timbering and forest management. Since when is Bortz an environmental or forest management expert?
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WarrenCitizen
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01-11-10 8:23 AM
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All that may be true, but I hope Bortz is doing this on his time and not the county's. What will this information do to enhance Warren County? When he says administration, I hope he means Washington and not local ANF managers. The policies BORTZ refers aren't created here, but a result of liberals in Washington. I attended a few public meetings put on by the Forest Service associated with these studies. I imagine the costs of these studies will be higher than normal, as the Forest Service was attempting to expedite the process to minimize the impacts on the OGM industry. Of course BORTZ won't admit his antics contributed to these higher costs. In the recent court decision, the judge said BORTZ's arguments had no merit, so perhaps BORTZ has taken all this a little too personal. I am sure you can gather from all my posts I am a conservative, but I like to think I use facts to base my opinions. I find BORTZ' hypocracy detrimental to my party, and can't wait to vote him out of office.
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