We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens and residents who live nearby BLM and State lands in Navajo County. We are deeply concerned about the clear cutting going on under the Juniper thinning program.

Our objections include the following:

• A letter from BLM states that pinyons would not be removed. In fact, all types of trees are being removed from the impacted areas.
• Private roads have been damaged by heavy equipment.
• Local residents are endangered while driving on primitive, county dirt roads with unpredictable semi-truck traffic. Two semis have had accidents in the last year while transporting the removed trees.
• The loads are not being secured until right before the trucks reach paved roads. Driving behind a truck is dangerous due to spilling and flying debris.
• The environmental assessment (EA) states that very little dust will be created by the project. We have seen huge dust storms in the areas where the trees were removed.
• The EA does not address the contribution of trees to the oxygen in our air or the reduction of carbon in our environment.
• The BLM is only required to preserve between zero and three juniper trees per acre.

We request that the BLM preserve the maximum number of trees, three per affected acre. We request that these preserved trees be situated in a cluster near the point where four adjacent acres meet. This leaves a cluster of twelve trees for the purpose of maximizing wildlife habitat.