Andrea Tuttle (AT): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, good morning Members. Of course, one of the items that is consuming both us and the Legislature and the Governor's office is the impasse over the current budget. . . . . .

The Jackson State EIR -- you know that the public comment period closed. We received around 4000 comments, of which the vast majority were all a form -- a form letter. We have about 350 distinct different comments, which is what we're working on. Our intent is to get that to you as Board members as soon as we can so that you have time to review the whole thing as a package before you take action on it.

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SD: O.K., Item #17 is a status report on the preparation of the draft Jackson Demonstration State Forest Management Plan and accompanying draft EIR.

Chris Rowney (CR): Yeah, my understanding -- I, unfortunately, was a little late here -- so I didn't hear what Director Tuttle provided you, but I believe she advised you of the number of comments and the ongoing effort. We have draft responses developed and at present are reviewing responses to responsible agencies. We received a number of comments -- a number of agencies did provide us commentary on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. There's a rather large number of letters with a fairly significant number of individual comments within each of those letters. And then a rather large number of form letters, if you will -- that are essentially -- raise the same issues. So all of those issues will be addressed as we go through this process.

A lot of this -- it's moving forward, it's -- there's a number of CDF personnel as well as the contract personnel involved in addressing these issues. We're making headway, but I don't know yet in talking to our Chief Counsel -- he's estimated a couple of weeks before we really start seeing a light at the end of this tunnel, if you will -- in terms of getting all the information gathered and put into some semblance of order, so that we can finally, eventually, get this before the Director for certification. And, at the same time, we still also have to prepare modifications to the Plan itself -- that are the result of all this environmental review -- as appropriate. And some of those we haven't defined yet. So we're aways away -- but we're working diligently to get that done as quickly as we can.

SD: This -- do you think, Chris, that would -- those things would happen in time for it to be on the Board's September agenda? Or is it more likely that it -- ?

CR: That will be a call I would be very hesitant to make. That would be something that I think the Director, or the Deputy Director, Ross Johnson and Assistant Deputy Director Mark Stanley would want to discuss with Board staff -- to make sure the timing, location, and everything else works appropriately -- relative to the Board's own workload as well. So in terms of timing, location -- that's something I think we need to work with Board staff on.

SD: Board members have questions for Chris then?

CR: Thank you.

SD: Board want to take a break? About a fifteen minute break, then.