Millions of Acres of Wild National Forests Immediately at Risk
WASHINGTON, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Defenders of Wildlife President Rodger
Schlickeisen called today's move by the Bush Administration to drop protection
for millions of acres of roadless national forest land "a crass rejection of
science, public participation and conservation on behalf of a handful of
timber industry backers." The announcement by the U.S. Forest Service
completely withdraws the landmark 2001 Roadless Area Conservation rule, which
protected 58.5 million acres of unroaded national forest lands for wildlife
habitat, recreation, clean water and purposes other than resource extraction.
Today's action eliminates all these protections, leaving in place a state
petition process that immediately exposes all national forest lands to
logging, mining, and energy drilling.
"It is truly breathtaking just how beholden this White House is to
industry," Schlickeisen said. "Gutting protection for our last truly wild
public forests is absolute validation that there is no place so special this
administration will not drill, mine or clear cut."
Unlike the Roadless Rule itself, which was adopted after more than 600
public hearings and 2.5 million public comments in favor, today's announcement
follows no public hearings, no scientific scrutiny, and more than 1.7 million
public comments in opposition. In place of nationwide protections crafted
through an open and public process, today's new rule adopts a piecemeal
approach, requiring individual states to petition the federal government to
protect individual roadless areas. Even if an individual governor did
petition for protection, the U.S. Forest Service could still deny his/her
request.
"The timber industry didn't like the idea that the best remaining wildlife
habitat in our National Forests might actually be necessarily and legitimately
be set aside for something other than clear cuts, so they had their allies in
the White House change the rules," Schlickeisen said. "All the other values
in our forests -- like recreation, clean drinking water, and homes for forest
wildlife -- get dumped by this rule so that the White House can keep cutting
down to the last tree and drilling for the last drop of oil."
Schlickeisen said Defenders of Wildlife intends to engage lawmakers and
other stakeholders to find a national approach that will rightfully reinstate
protection for these unique national public lands.
Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates
for wildlife and habitat, and was named as America's Best Wildlife Charity by
Readers Digest magazine. With nearly 1 million members, supporters and
electronic advocates, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and
habitat.
| |
SOURCE Defenders of Wildlife
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.defenders.org
CONTACT:
William Lutz, +1-202-772-0269, or Brad
DeVries, +1-202-772-0237, both of Defenders of Wildlife
| |
|
