Bogus roadless plan will do great harm

The Clinton administration approved regulations in 2001 that purported to provide lasting protection for all remaining roadless areas in America's national forests. The "Roadless Rule" provided some restrictions on new roads and logging in roadless areas and was a notable step in the right direction. However some greens and anti-conservation interests claimed the rule created "de facto wilderness" and said it could not be undone. At this point, we know that wasn't true.

The original rule included loopholes that permitted logging inside roadless areas under the pretense of ecosystem restoration, fire suppression or insect control. Virtually every timber sale in Utah is dressed up disingenuously to meet one of these categories. Soon after approval of the 2001 Roadless Rule, the Manti-La Sal National Forest proposed logging old growth in a roadless area and noted the project cleared the rule's hoops. The original rule also allowed roads and oil/gas and hard-rock mining development for leased areas and did not address livestock grazing or motorized recreation.

Under both Presidents Clinton and Bush, public input has been overwhelmingly in support of preserving all of America's national forest roadless areas. The issue was argued in various courts with the 9th Circuit upholding the policy, while a Wyoming District Court ruled it created "de facto wilderness" illegally. The Wyoming decision was appealed to the 10th Circuit in Denver, but the Bush administration rescinded the 2001 policy on the day the court heard the case. A mess was created that now threatens our roadless areas while leaving the American public to believe they were preserved.

The new Bush roadless policy replaced the prior rule's purpose of "lasting protection" with one to "address the management of" roadless areas and shifted management authority to state governors. Governors now have unprecedented authority to determine the fate of America's roadless lands. There is one problem with this — it is illegal. States have no authority to dictate management of our national forests.

The Oregon Governor's Office submitted its roadless petition and included logging and road-building restrictions similar to the 2001 rule. The administration categorically rejected it. On one hand the Bush administration claims to be handing roadless area management over to the governors, but if the governor wants to protect roadless areas the administration rejects those petitions