Judge tosses road plans for SoCal national forests

AP on Mercury News ^ | 9/30/09 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

SAN FRANCISCO—A federal judge has tossed out the federal government's plans to open vast tracts of forests in Southern California to new road building.

U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel ruled Wednesday that the U.S. Forest Service failed to adequately consider the effects the new plan would have on the landscape and wildlife in the Angeles, Los Padres, Cleveland and San Bernardino national forests.

Los Padres is the principal home of the California condor.

[domenad]

Are any of these studies allowed to conclude “Yes we know it will negatively impact some environments, but we don’t care?”

[edcoil]

So much for good shovel ready jobs and the stimulus.

[pissant]

Why does a federal judge have any say WHATSOEVER in what roads are or are not built. What bullsh*t

[2banana]

Somebody say “vast tracks of land” in their best Monty Python?

[bray]

More blockage by the Environazis. More future forest fires. Same will happen for exploration of those oil finds.

PRay for America and Our Troops

[crazyhorse691]

One good lightening storm (or a nutcase with a Bic lighter)and all of that vast tracts of land will be suitable for is bagged BBQ briquettes.

[AndyJackson]

The judge ordered both sides to submit proposed resolutions over the next 49 days.

You could write an EIS to bury the Washington Mall in toxic waste, so long as you considered all of the alternatives, the impacts of the "no action alternative" (which is legalese for following the proposed course" and held public hearings, with public input duly considered by the official signing the "record of decision."

It is one of the great kabuki dances of all time. The mistake that federal agencies keep making is to try to skip steps in the process.

[muawiyah]

U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel's ruling violates the rights of the handicapped.

Judge Patel should be removed as soon as possible.

[jimfree]

Road building is essential to protection of the forests.

[VeniVidiVici]

Any bets this worthless wench of a “judge” just banned logging trails as opposed to hard top roads?

[Bernard Marx]

She's a dedicated Lefty, former president of a N.O.W. chapter and an activist for all kinds of Left Wing and environmental causes. She was appointed by Jimmah Carter.

Here's another environmental ruling of hers from Wiki:

Presently (as of 2005[update]) Judge Patel's docket includes the ongoing case of Okinawa Dugong v. Rumsfeld, in which an environmental group seeks to prevent the construction of a military runway on the island of Okinawa, citing the hazard this may pose to the okinawa dugong, an endangered marine mammal.