Lance Files Appeal To Get Names Of Forest Lessees

Idaho Attorney General Al Lance filed an appeal Monday, after the Forest Service turned down his public records request for the names of lease holders on forest land.

Lance said if his appeal is denied, he’ll sue.

The Forest Service long has provided a list of those holding leases, which include leases for summer cabins. But this year, based on a new legal opinion from Washington, D.C., the agency decided those names and addresses should be secret.

“The Forest Service’s decisions on this matter are absurd,” Lance said. “They seem to be saying that if the owner of an apartment building hires a property manager, the owner has no right to know who the tenants are. This is the public’s land, and the public has a right to know who is using it.”

The information can help county assessors charge property taxes on the buildings.

Lance filed his request under the Freedom of Information Act on behalf of 21 county assessors, including those in all five Panhandle counties.

The Forest Service has 20 days to respond to the appeal.

, DataTimes