Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Vernon Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1996-11-22

Duration: 00:24:48

Subjects: United States. Army | Military | Fort Polk (La.) | Environment | Kisatchie National Forest (La.)

Contributors:

• Chapa, Arcie Host
• Shapkoff, Jim Interviewee
• Powell, John Interviewee
• Tomas, Ron Interviewee
• Jones, Roland Interviewee
• Cook, Ray Interviewee
• Neeson, Marvin Interviewee
• Britt, Danny Interviewee
• Boykin, Esther Interviewee
• Lanctot, Randy Interviewee
• Perris, Steve Interviewee
• Caldwell, Jim Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from November 22, 1996, features Arcie Chapa’s special report on the United States Army’s efforts to use additional land in the Kisatchie National Forest for more intensive training for the troops stationed at Fort Polk. Chapa reports that the Army currently holds special use permits for 114,000 acres of the forest, but United States Senators J. Bennett Johnston and John Breaux attempted to transfer ownership of an additional 80,000 acres to the Army without environmental studies or Congressional hearings. She interviews: Leesville Mayor Jim Shapkoff; Major John Powell, Fort Polk; Ron Tomas, senior advisor on installation and mission support at Fort Polk; Roland Jones, private landowner; Ray Cook, private landowner; Marvin Neeson, private landowner; Danny Britt, forest supervisor; Esther Boykin, attorney with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund; Randy Lanctot, Louisiana Wildlife Federation; Steve Perris, Army ecologist; and Jim Caldwell, Kisatchie forester.