U.S. Forest Service suspends whistleblower

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The U.S. Forest Service has suspended an agency official who complained that some of its managers ignored environmental laws and rules for the spraying of pesticides and weed-killers on forests.

Doug Parker, assistant director of forestry and forest health for the agency's Southwestern Region, is accused of failing to follow a direct order to train and certify employees each month in the use of the chemicals.

Parker, the region's pesticide coordinator, also is accused of failing to submit a progress report on the training.

Deputy Regional Forester Lucia Turner sent Parker a letter Thursday about the 10-day suspension and said further "misconduct" could get him fired. Parker's attorney, Dennis Montoya, gave a copy of the letter to The Associated Press.