In a series of open letters, Calaveras County Supervisor Paul Stein, EPFW member John Trinkl, and Sierra ForestKeepers Executive Director Ara Marderosian weighed in on issues raised at the Second Annual Natural Resources Summit in Sonora on August 16, 2002.

Stein places the responsibility for current forest fires at the feet of "self-anointed radical preservationists" and "radical environmentalists" who are "using the court system to wage war against sensible forest management."

Trinkl responds with facts showing that the "countless appeals and lawsuits" alleged by Stein amounted to 20 appeals and no lawsuits in 1671 instances.

Marderosian notes that "Environmentalists have not obstructed legitimate fire hazard reduction projects. What we have opposed, and continue to oppose, is logging under the guise of fuel reduction that actually exacerbates fires hazards while destroying vital habitat."

"Round up the usual suspects! George W. Bush's new 'Healthy Forests' plan reads like a parody of his administration's standard operating procedure. You see, environmentalists cause forest fires, and those nice corporations will solve the problem if we get out of the way," writes Paul Krugman in the August 27 issue of the New York Times.