Release No. 0283.04
Contact:
Julie
Quick (202) 720-4623
Dan Jiron (202) 205-0896
Veneman
Acts To Conserve Roadless
Areas In National Forests
Announces National Advisory Committee to Help Implement New Rules
“Our actions today advance President Bush’s commitment to
cooperatively conserving roadless areas on national
forests,” Veneman said. “The prospect of endless lawsuits
represents neither progress, nor certainty for communities. Our announcements
today illustrate our commitment to working closely with the nation’s governors
to meet the needs of local communities, and to maintaining the undeveloped
character of the most pristine areas of the National Forest System.”
The prior administration finalized its roadless
rule in January 2001. Since then it has been the target of litigation in
During an event here at the State Capitol with Governor
Dirk Kempthorne and Senator Larry Craig to announce
the new rule, Secretary Veneman said that the Forest
Service would reinstate an interim directive to conserve roadless
areas that were afforded protection by the 2001 rule. Even though the Forest
Service has not moved to develop these areas, they have not been under a
national rule since the District Court for the District of Wyoming permanently
enjoined implementation of the 2001 rule last July. The interim directive will
remain in effect for a period of 18 months after the finalization of a new roadless rule being proposed today.
The new rule sets a new, straightforward collaborative
path to conserving roadless areas by working with the
states on state-specific regulations. During the rulemaking process, Forest
Service Chief Dale Bosworth will maintain interim measures to conserve roadless areas.
The actions are based on five common-sense, conservation
principles:
- Make informed decisions to
ensure the roadless rule is implemented with
more reliable information and accurate mapping, including local expertise
and experience;
- Work with states, tribes,
local communities and the public through a process that is fair, open and
responsive to local input and information;
- Protect forests to ensure
that the potential negative effects of severe wildfire, insect and disease
activity are addressed;
- Protect communities, homes,
and property from the risk of severe wildfire and other risks that might
exist on adjacent federal lands; and,
- Ensure that states, tribes,
and private citizens who own property within roadless
areas have access to their property as required by existing law.
The proposed rule establishes a process for governors to
work with the Forest Service to develop locally–supported rules for conserving roadless areas in their states. While there are 39 states
that have “inventoried” roadless areas on National
Forest System lands within their boundaries, just 12 states contain 56.6
million acres, or 97 percent, of all roadless areas
in the country. Those states are:
“State governments are important partners in the
stewardship of the nation’s land and natural resources,” Veneman
said. “Strong state and federal cooperation in the management of roadless areas will foster strong local involvement and
support for a final policy.”
The new proposal would offer the governors the opportunity
to work with USDA on collaborative state-specific rulemakings for the conservation
and management of roadless areas. Petitions would
identify areas for inclusion, and ways to protect public health and safety,
reduce wildfire risks to communities and critical wildlife habitat, maintain
critical infrastructure, such as dams and utilities, and assure citizens access
to private property.
Once the state finished its petition process, the Forest
Service would publish a subsequent rulemaking for inventoried roadless areas within a petitioning state. Each
state-specific rulemaking will include the required National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and input from the public during the notice and
comment period. Petitions would have to be submitted within 18 months of the
effective date of a final rule.
Separately, Veneman also
proposed establishing a national advisory committee to provide expert
consultation for implementing the state-specific petition rulemaking process.
Members of the committee would include experts in fish and wildlife biology,
fish and wildlife management, forest management, outdoor recreation, and other
relevant disciplines.
The proposed rule will be published in the Federal
Register this week and is available at www.fs.fed.us.
There is a 60-day public comment period on the proposed rule. Written comments
on the proposed rule may be mailed to: Content Analysis Team, ATTN: Roadless State Petitions, USDA Forest Service,