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View Full Version : Untouched national forests lose Clinton-era protections



GrafikFeat
05-06-2005, 07:56 AM
Roadless protections up for grabs

The Bush administration yesterday opened the door to logging, mining and other development on 58 million acres of roadless national forests, scrapping Clinton-era protections and ceding Western governors greater control over vast swaths of public lands.

Gov. Christine Gregoire immediately promised to protect much of Washington's untouched national-forest land. But state officials were already questioning the challenge of devising a new management plan covering 2 million acres.

"The governor far prefers the Clinton rule," said Elliot Marks, natural-resources policy adviser to Gregoire, describing the Bush administration's new stance as "process-heavy and pretty burdensome."

The plan now allows governors to submit petitions within 18 months to stop road building on some of the 34.3 million acres where it would now be permitted. Governors also could request that new forest-management plans be written to allow the construction on some of the other 24.2 million acres.

The change will clearly put Western governors in the middle of an old controversy that pits environmentalists against timber, mining and other industries. According to The Associated Press, 97 percent of the federal forest land is in 12 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

I dont know to either jump up and down saying "Free Logs!" or sad because the hills will be "Log Free"...

:?

buckfittyone
05-06-2005, 09:49 AM
I dont know to either jump up and down saying "Free Logs!" or sad because the hills will be "Log Free"...

neither do i :(
hopefully they dont over do it

hawkiye
05-06-2005, 10:32 AM
Why do you think the hills will be log free? This does not allow massive clear cutting as far as I can tell. In my view it is a huge step in the right direction of reasonable forest mangment. Evironmental extremists would have us out of the forests completely. We saw the results of years of that in the last several years with massive fires and loss of massive amounts of timbers because of it. Reasonable logging and use helps prevent this devastation and helps depressed economies in rural areas. The extremes on both ends are never the right way.

Blayne

ChrisAndWendy
05-07-2005, 01:04 PM
There should be a compromise between "What is good for Mother Nature" and "What is good for Man". I have not read the new regs but I have been told it is good for all concerned man, forests and critters. Plus just think more log homes can be built and cheaper, I hope. Chris

clairenj
05-08-2005, 04:35 PM
you are kidding;I am holding out hope ? please think about it

Noelle
05-18-2005, 08:39 AM
I have mixed feelings myself, but at the sametime who knows who will be Gov. of this state in 6 months?

TSWIII
05-20-2005, 09:51 AM
The way I heard it...

A "developer" wants a cabin in the woods. An "environmentalist" already has a cabin in the woods...

TSWIII - Graduating class of May 15, 2005
:wink:

joelhigginson@hotmail.com
05-31-2005, 10:34 AM
I am confused about opening of lands for our use. I have been searching the internet for more info but to no avail. I know in Utah we are in need of some thinning in many areas of the national forests. Our fire's will be large this year if the weather turns dry because we have so much grass from the wet winter and spring that when it dries fire will move much more rapidly. So what is the scoop? Any details will help. Is this new Bush bill or law ready to go into effect shortly? Totally confused!

H2OFowlerandWife
05-31-2005, 02:38 PM
You could check out www.moveon.org. I know I saw something on there recently about it. Of course it might be a bit slanted.

Ellsworth
05-31-2005, 03:14 PM
Here are some articles about the issue. The gist is that nothing is changing real soon: there's a process that takes place where each state has more control over their own forest management issues, but they have to go through some official hoops.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5350753/

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001900786_forestplanside11m.html

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/08/22/bush.timber/

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3660917/

http://www.cei.org/gencon/019,03099.cfm