Bush Administration Plans to Overturn Popular Roadless Protection for National Forests
No More Nibbling: Administration Seeks To Devour Roadless Rule Whole
The Bush Administration announced a scheme today that would effectively overturn the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The 2001 rule protected 58.5 million acres of pristine roadless lands on America's national forests from roadbuilding and commercial logging. And the American people have repeatedly declared their support for these protections: 2.5 million times in the last four years!
The administration has never liked the rule, has refused to defend it in court (despite promises to do so) and a year ago exempted our largest national forest, the Tongass in Alaska, from the rule's protection. Today it went whole hog.
The new scheme would force governors to petition the federal government to protect the last remaining pristine forests in their states. The process officials described today is convoluted, meaningless, and mostly political camouflage: reduced to its basics, the plan is an outright repeal of the roadless rule.
Citizens will have an opportunity to comment on the plan and we will send you a WildAlert seeking your help when we have details. But because this has been so important an issue to WildAlert subscribers, we wanted to update you as soon as possible.
For More Information
- Wilderness Society statement on the proposal:
http://www.wilderness.org/NewsRoom/Statement/20040712.cfm
- Forest Service web site:
http://roadless.fs.fed.us
Informant: Teresa Binstock
The Bush Administration announced a scheme today that would effectively overturn the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The 2001 rule protected 58.5 million acres of pristine roadless lands on America's national forests from roadbuilding and commercial logging. And the American people have repeatedly declared their support for these protections: 2.5 million times in the last four years!
The administration has never liked the rule, has refused to defend it in court (despite promises to do so) and a year ago exempted our largest national forest, the Tongass in Alaska, from the rule's protection. Today it went whole hog.
The new scheme would force governors to petition the federal government to protect the last remaining pristine forests in their states. The process officials described today is convoluted, meaningless, and mostly political camouflage: reduced to its basics, the plan is an outright repeal of the roadless rule.
Citizens will have an opportunity to comment on the plan and we will send you a WildAlert seeking your help when we have details. But because this has been so important an issue to WildAlert subscribers, we wanted to update you as soon as possible.
For More Information
- Wilderness Society statement on the proposal:
http://www.wilderness.org/NewsRoom/Statement/20040712.cfm
- Forest Service web site:
http://roadless.fs.fed.us
Informant: Teresa Binstock
Starmail - 13. Jul, 16:48
