Probe finds some intimidation, but otherwise good relations in Nevada

Sandra Chereb

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2000 | 9:44 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - U.S. Forest Service employees in Nevada have been intimidated and harassed, but an agency investigation found no evidence of danger to the federal workers.

Despite past friction, a report released Monday said there is a strong desire by the agency, local residents and elected officials to improve relations.

"In talking to over 125 current and former employees of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest throughout Nevada, the team did not find any reportable incidents of personal threats, violence or abuse in the past several years that would cause the Forest Service to seek criminal prosecution through the Department of Justice," said Joel Holtrop, a Forest Service director who headed up the fact-finding team.

In northeast Nevada's Elko County, where local officials have locked horns with the Forest Service over a remote dirt road on national forest land, Holtrop described the situation as "unusual and antagonistic."

Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck and Intermountain Regional Forester Jack Blackwell appointed the fact-finding team following the resignation of Gloria Flora as supervisor of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Flora cited harassment, intimidation and verbal abuse against Forest Service employees in announcing her resignation in November as boss of the largest national forest in the lower 48 states.

The South Canyon Road in the tiny town of Jarbidge near the Nevada-Idaho line has become a rallying point for some rural interests who oppose federal land management policies.

Residents want to rebuild a dirt road along the Jarbidge River in the Humboldt-Toiyabe forest. The Forest Service has fought their efforts, saying the erosion would harm the river's bull trout population.

Many current and former Forest Service employees in Elko reported being treated disrespectfully and exposed to "highly embarrassing" situations by others in the community, the report said.

Employees spoke of encounters with people they've had while doing field work and of feeling "afraid for their well-being."

The spouses of two Forest Service employees said they were ostracized from community groups and verbally abused and ridiculed in public. Another complained of disparaging remarks against the agency made by a child's teacher in school.

"Of the approximately 35 employees we met with in Elko, the majority said that working and living in this setting affected their sense of well-being," the report said. It added that few employees wear their uniforms or drive marked agency vehicles to be less conspicuous.

While some workers have limited social interactions, others said they "considered dealing with this a normal and tolerable aspect of the jobs," the report added.

"When considered cumulatively, the experiences employees described were beyond what is typical in work environments for Forest Service employees in other places ... but is not considered dangerous," it said.