Feds vow to probe threats to workers

Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Kathryn Landreth and U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester Jack Blackwell pledged Tuesday to investigate any threats to federal employees in the wake of Forest Service Supervisor Gloria Flora's resignation in protest of "anti-federal fervor" in Nevada.

Landreth and Blackwell issued a joint statement on Tuesday that they are committed to "vigorous investigation and enforcement of claims of threats and harassment" of forest service employees in Nevada.

However, there are no recently documented claims filed by Forest Service employees in the state, Landreth, who is based in Las Vegas, said.

A Forest Service law officer complained to Flora two months ago that federal prosecutors in Nevada had declined to prosecute dozens of cases referred to it by the Forest Service since 1990 -- at least 21 felonies and 52 misdemeanors involving more than 100 people.

Flora, in charge of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, the largest national forest in the lower 48 states, said she quit in protest of ill treatment of forest employees in Nevada. She also protested a congressional hearing held earlier this month by Reps. Helen Chenoweth-Hage, R-Idaho, and Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., about protection of a threatened fish and a road on national forest lands in Northern Nevada.

The Elko County Commission defied the Forest Service and attempted to rebuild a road in a national forest. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on Oct. 9, preventing volunteers from rebuilding the road in remote northeast Nevada near Jarbidge.

Blackwell, based in Ogden, Utah, said he and Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck are forming a fact-finding team to investigate stories of intimidation, harassment and threats to employees.