Forest Service Plan comment time extended

State forest appeals time extended

12:05 AM PST on Friday, December 23, 2005

The Press-Enterprise

The public will have more time to file appeals on Southern California's recently issued national-forest plans.

U.S. Forest Service officials said Thursday they inadvertently left out a 22-page section that dealt with public comments on wildlife issues in the Southland's four national forests, which include the Cleveland and the San Bernardino forests.

The agency will reissue its decision sometime next month, kicking off another 90-day public comment.

The deadline had been next Thursday.

Appeals are sent to Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth, who then decides whether to support or overturn regional plans, which will guide management decisions on recreation, endangered species protection and other issues for the next 10 to 15 years, Forest Service spokesman Matt Mathes said.

--Jennifer Bowles