Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced a one-year moratorium on road-building in national forests. Basically, it’s a continuation of President Clinton’s 2001 roadless rule, which has been tied up in legal knots ever since. Those legal battles are part of why Vilsack announced the moratorium.
Immediate winner? Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, where it has been estimated 35 miles of additional roads would be needed for several logging sales to be pulled off.
Showing posts with label Roadless Rule. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roadless Rule. Show all posts
May 29, 2009
December 16, 2008
Roadless Rule still alive and kicking, sort of
Despite President Bush's attempt to gut President Clinton's Roadless Rule in national forests by making state governments jump through hoops, it's still alive in seven Western states.
Well, sort of. Most states that have done anything have adopted protections well short of what Slick Willie proposed to "enshrine" by executive order.
That's the whole problem, though. We need a Roadless Act - legislation - not just a Roadless Rule.
Meanwhile, a U.S. District Judge found Bush's Roadless Rule Lite to have violated the National Environmental Policy Act. But, another district judge, in another federal circuit found that the Roadless Rule itself violated NEPA.
That, too, is why we need legislation.
Well, sort of. Most states that have done anything have adopted protections well short of what Slick Willie proposed to "enshrine" by executive order.
That's the whole problem, though. We need a Roadless Act - legislation - not just a Roadless Rule.
Meanwhile, a U.S. District Judge found Bush's Roadless Rule Lite to have violated the National Environmental Policy Act. But, another district judge, in another federal circuit found that the Roadless Rule itself violated NEPA.
That, too, is why we need legislation.
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