Bush to Prohibit Building Roads Inside Forests

The New York Times ^ | June 10, 2003 | KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

WASHINGTON, June 9 — The Bush administration said today that it would reinstate a Clinton-era rule that prohibits building roads in 58.5 million acres of protected national forests. But the administration wants to allow governors to seek exemptions from the rule, which environmental groups said would open the way for logging and drilling on millions of acres.

The administration also said that this month, as part of a legal settlement, the federal government would seek an exemption from the so-called roadless rule in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, North America's only coastal temperate rainforest. Officials said they were also considering an exemption for the Chugach National Forest near Anchorage. This would free up some of the nation's most pristine forested lands for roads and further development.

Under the proposal, which will be open for public comment, governors may seek exemptions from the secretary of agriculture.

Administration officials said exemptions would be granted if building roads would protect human health and safety, reduce the risk of wildfires, help restore essential wildlife habitats, provide reasonable access to private property and provide technical corrections to boundary adjustments.

Exemptions will not be allowed if the land is part of a national monument or national recreation area, is a critical habitat for endangered species, is an area of ecological concern, is objected to by Indian tribes or is in a critical watershed.

Ann M. Veneman, the secretary of agriculture, said in a statement that the decision was a balanced approach that both protects the environment and responds to rural communities that need roads for their protection and livelihood.

But environmental groups said the exemption for the governors provided a loophole for the timber industry and rendered the roadless rule meaningless, and gave the green light to 50 timber sales in the Tongass alone.

Marty Hayden, legislative director for EarthJustice, an environmental law firm, said the land in question included the forest's biggest, old-growth trees and threatened them with clear-cutting.

[Russell Scott]

Tree Monkey: people who when you wave a dollar bill in front of their nose immediately scream "global warming! global warming!", and then hold out a cup with the words "save the planet" painted on it.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[Jesse]

Just curious. Are there ANY last minute Clinton regulations Bush hasn't adopted as his own?

[templar]

Are there ANY last minute Clinton regulations Bush hasn't adopted as his own?

No. Some may not have been announced yet though.

[dixiechick2000]

Check this one out. I guess it depends on your point of view.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/926043/posts

[Consort]

Under the proposal, which will be open for public comment, governors may seek exemptions from the secretary of agriculture.

Easing power back to the states? Good? Bad?

[ApesForEvolution]

Mixed reaction in this camp. More research required.

[Sparta]

Mixed reaction in this camp. More research required.

Ditto.

[forester]

Wonder if the Bush folks retained the new definitions of what constitutes a road? Wonder if they kept the part that expands USFS jurisdiction over public roads? That is the real onorous part of this rule package IMHO.

[TLBSHOW]

nope

[Centurion2000]

The Bush administration said today that it would reinstate a Clinton-era rule that prohibits building roads in 58.5 million acres of protected national forests. But the administration wants to allow governors to seek exemptions from the rule, which environmental groups said would open the way for logging and drilling on millions of acres

At first glance this pissed me off. At second glance it still kinda pisses me off, but it seems that Bush is passing a power (however small) back to the state.

[Dan from Michigan]

Sounds like he wants it both ways to me.

[america-rules]

"Administration officials said exemptions would be granted if building roads would protect human health and safety, reduce the risk of wildfires, help restore essential wildlife habitats, provide reasonable access to private property and provide technical corrections to boundary adjustments."

Totally bogus headline.

It should read

"Bush Throws out Clinton Forest Rules"

Also, Protecting human health and safety means thinning forests to slow fire spread, adding fire breaks (Logging Roads) and not restricting two or more wheeled vehicles !

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[hattend]

Marty Hayden, legislative director for EarthJustice, an environmental law firm, said the land in question included the forest's biggest, old-growth trees and threatened them with clear-cutting.

We're going to clear-cut 45 million acres of trees? Yeah, sure. Hyperbole, thy name is EarthJustice.

BTTT

[nwconservative]

Thanks for the info, keep me on the list please.