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“The conservation of
natural resources is the
fundamental problem.
Unless we solve that
problem it will avail
us little to solve all
others.”
-Theodore Roosevelt, who
designated the first national forest |
One of the most controversial environmental
policies of the Bush administration
suffered another blow in September, when
federal district court Judge Elizabeth Laporte
effectively reinstated protections for
nearly 60 million acres of pristine national
forest land.
The “Roadless Rule,” as it came to be
known, protects the remaining pristine
areas within iconic national forests like
the White Mountain National Forest
in New Hampshire, the Siskiyou-Rogue
River National Forest in Oregon, and the
Chatahoochee National Forest in Georgia. These areas have no roads, and retain their
unique character because they are off-limits
to developers, logging trucks and mining
operations.
President Clinton signed the Roadless
Rule in 2001. When the Bush administration
repealed the rule shortly after taking
office, it replaced the policy with an unwieldy,
unscientific and unpopular plan
that passed the buck to state governors.
State governors could either petition to
protect the forests or open them to logging,
drilling or other forms of development.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm, fortunately and
to her credit, agreed to keep all of Michigan’s
roadless areas off limits, although
the court ruling came down before she
filed her petition.
As part of a coalition of environmental
groups, local conservation organizations,
recreational businesses owners and scientists,
Environment Michigan and our
allies mobilized public opposition to get
individual state governors in California,
Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Michigan,
Arizona, New Mexico and Washington
to protect roadless areas in their states’
national forests.
While the court’s decision is a victory for
the hundreds of staff and volunteers that worked on the campaign and the millions
of people that enjoy these pristine places,
the Bush administration will likely appeal
the decision.
Roadless Timeline
A partial timeline of event leading to the
decision to protect roadless areas:
October 13, 1999: After President Clinton
proposes the Roadless Area Conservation
Rule, designed to protect nearly 60 million
acres of pristine national forests, supporters
mobilize a quarter of a million people
to send positive comments to the U.S.
Forest Service.
January 5, 2001: President Clinton signs
the Roadless Rule into law.
January 20, 2001: President Bush takes
office. White House directive postpones
effective date of all federal rules not yet
in effect, including Roadless Rule.
November 15, 2004: Comment period
on draft rule ends. More than 1.7 million
comments (so far) oppose the Administration’s
proposal and support retaining the
Roadless Rule.
Fall 2004 to June 2005: Fifty papers in
over 30 states editorialize in favor of the
2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule
and against the Bush administration’s
attempts to turn over the management of
these unspoiled forests to states.
Aug 30, 2005: After citizens urge them to
do so, the governors of Maine, Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, New
Mexico, Arizona, California and Oregon
file petitions or announce their intention
to file petitions requesting the reinstatement
of protections for roadless forests in
their states.
Sept. 20, 2006: Judge LaPorte’s decision
reinstates roadless protections.
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