U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Laporte has determined that, due to inadequte environmental reviews, the Bush administration’s rewrite of roadless forest policy is denied.
A Bush administration policy aimed at re-opening access to more than 58 million acres of roadless national forests closed off under President Clinton was struck down Wednesday by a federal judge in California.
“The American people have spoken loud and clear on this issue and they want these valuable public lands protected,” said Anna Aurilio, legislative director of U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
Twenty environmental groups and attorneys general from four states challenged the Bush rule in court, arguing that the administration did not comply with the required environmental assessments and endangered species reviews before enacting the rule.
The Utah Governor’s Office is currently developing a “multiple use” plan for forests in Utah, with plans to submit it to the National Forest Service Office in November.
“Until we get other guidelines, we’re responding to the Bush administration’s direction,” Stevens said.{Lynn Stevens, public lands policy coordinator for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.,}
But critics of Utah’s roadless petition process believe the state will have to adhere to the new judicial ruling, at least until it can be sorted out on appeal.
“The Utah plan is not premised on protection. It’s premised on allowing state and county planners to go through Utah’s roadless inventory [about 5 million acres] and throw out all the conservation measures they don’t like,” said Kevin Mueller, executive director of the Utah Environmental Congress.
Off road vehicle users are not happy. Michael Swenson, executive director of the Utah Shared Access Alliance, an off-highway vehicle advocacy group:
“We’re not going away. We’re not saying this is over. We’re hopeful that an appropriate remedy can be struck to protect access to valuable recreation areas,” Swenson said.
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 