I strongly support a long…

I strongly support a long-term Section 55 Regulatory Exemption for the forest sector which recognizes the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (CFSA) as an equivalent process to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). I do not support the attempts at harmonization of the CFSA with the ESA through amendments to Section 18 as proposed in this posting”.

• The forest sector requires a permanent solution to the ESA
• This can be best accomplished through a long term (permanent) section 55 Regulatory Exemption
• I do not support the section 18 ‘harmonization option’ as a solution for the forest sector – it does not effectively deal with the socio-economic risks posed to the sector by the ESA
• The forest sector is an important driver of the northern economy and therefore a solution to the ESA is critical
• Section 55 Regulatory exemptions have provided the only viable path for the forest sector since the ESA was enacted more than a decade ago
• Endangered species are important, but so are jobs, communities, and the economy
• The best way to manage for all three objectives is clearly by making the balanced CFSA an equivalent process to the ESA

We choose to live, work and raise our families in the north please make the right decisions.