landusepbb
09-08-2004, 08:26 AM
Source: Southern Environmental Law Center
Posted by: Southern Environmental Law Center - archive
Posted on: Sep 07, 2004 @ 11:22 am
[printer-friendly]
September 7, 2004
Gov. Warner pans White House proposal for Virginia’s roadless areas
North Carolina Gov. Easley also objects to “opt-in” plan
Contact: David Carr, Director, SELC Public Lands Project (434) 977-4090
Dave Muhly, Sierra Club Regional Representative (276) 688-2190
Richmond – Virginia Governor Mark Warner has come out in opposition to the Bush Administration’s recent proposal requiring governors to ask the U.S. Forest Service to protect the roadless areas in the national forests in their states. In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman on July 30, Governor Warner described the proposal as “unduly burdensome,” and said it “appears unlikely to ensure protection of these valuable public lands.” He urged the Administration to withdraw the proposal and reinstate the Roadless Area Conservation Rule of 2001, which he has supported several times in the past.
Governor Warner sent copies of his letter to the governors of five other Southern Appalachian states. On August 16, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley also sent a letter to Sec. Veneman stating his strong concerns about the “vague” and “bureaucratic” proposal, saying it would burden his state without providng any beneft to North Carolina’s forest resource.
That 2001 rule was adopted after years of scientific and public scrutiny that included 600 public hearings and a record 1.7 million comments – including more than 45,000 from Virginians – almost entirely in support. It would protect the nation’s 58.5 million roadless acres – including some 387,000 acres in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in western Virginia – by prohibiting road building for logging, mining and other development activities. Roadless areas are generally remote, unspoiled, wild places on the national forests, and provide premier recreation opportunities, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat and clean water. The Bush Administration suspended the rule upon taking office and has attempted to weaken it ever since.
On July 12, Sec. Veneman proposed replacing the rule with a state-by-state petition process in which governors would have to ask the Secretary of Agriculture to prevent development of roadless areas in their states. The proposal makes no guarantee the Secretary would approve the petition or devise a management scheme that truly protects the roadless areas. Further, as Governor Warner notes in his letter, the change puts the onus of preparing costly, time-consuming, resource-intensive petitions on the states, when national forest management “still properly rests with the Forest Service.”
“Governor Warner’s action benefits the citizens and the forests of Virginia. We commend his leadership,” said David Carr, Director of SELC’s Public Lands Project. “The Administration has no business abdicating its responsibility to protect our national forest treasures.”
“The American people have overwhelmingly supported protecting these areas,” said David Muhly, Regional Representative for the Sierra Club’s Appalachian Region. “This administration’s failure to provide safeguards for our wild forests is but another plank in its program of rolling back protections for all our public lands.”
Governor Warner joins the governors of seven other states (NM, NC, OR, ME, PA, WA, AZ) who have supported the 2001 rule or who have directly denounced the Administration’s new proposal. The 2001 rule has also been endorsed by legislation introduced by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), and 26 Senators have urged the president to drop his July proposal. More than 157 House members have supported the 2001 rule. The public comment period for the proposed rule ends September 14.
Available online
>> Gov. Warner’s letter
>> Gov. Easley’s letter
>> Background on Bush proposal
>> Information on sending comments to USFS
http://www.ems.org/nws/2004/09/07/gov_warner_pans_
Posted by: Southern Environmental Law Center - archive
Posted on: Sep 07, 2004 @ 11:22 am
[printer-friendly]
September 7, 2004
Gov. Warner pans White House proposal for Virginia’s roadless areas
North Carolina Gov. Easley also objects to “opt-in” plan
Contact: David Carr, Director, SELC Public Lands Project (434) 977-4090
Dave Muhly, Sierra Club Regional Representative (276) 688-2190
Richmond – Virginia Governor Mark Warner has come out in opposition to the Bush Administration’s recent proposal requiring governors to ask the U.S. Forest Service to protect the roadless areas in the national forests in their states. In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman on July 30, Governor Warner described the proposal as “unduly burdensome,” and said it “appears unlikely to ensure protection of these valuable public lands.” He urged the Administration to withdraw the proposal and reinstate the Roadless Area Conservation Rule of 2001, which he has supported several times in the past.
Governor Warner sent copies of his letter to the governors of five other Southern Appalachian states. On August 16, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley also sent a letter to Sec. Veneman stating his strong concerns about the “vague” and “bureaucratic” proposal, saying it would burden his state without providng any beneft to North Carolina’s forest resource.
That 2001 rule was adopted after years of scientific and public scrutiny that included 600 public hearings and a record 1.7 million comments – including more than 45,000 from Virginians – almost entirely in support. It would protect the nation’s 58.5 million roadless acres – including some 387,000 acres in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in western Virginia – by prohibiting road building for logging, mining and other development activities. Roadless areas are generally remote, unspoiled, wild places on the national forests, and provide premier recreation opportunities, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat and clean water. The Bush Administration suspended the rule upon taking office and has attempted to weaken it ever since.
On July 12, Sec. Veneman proposed replacing the rule with a state-by-state petition process in which governors would have to ask the Secretary of Agriculture to prevent development of roadless areas in their states. The proposal makes no guarantee the Secretary would approve the petition or devise a management scheme that truly protects the roadless areas. Further, as Governor Warner notes in his letter, the change puts the onus of preparing costly, time-consuming, resource-intensive petitions on the states, when national forest management “still properly rests with the Forest Service.”
“Governor Warner’s action benefits the citizens and the forests of Virginia. We commend his leadership,” said David Carr, Director of SELC’s Public Lands Project. “The Administration has no business abdicating its responsibility to protect our national forest treasures.”
“The American people have overwhelmingly supported protecting these areas,” said David Muhly, Regional Representative for the Sierra Club’s Appalachian Region. “This administration’s failure to provide safeguards for our wild forests is but another plank in its program of rolling back protections for all our public lands.”
Governor Warner joins the governors of seven other states (NM, NC, OR, ME, PA, WA, AZ) who have supported the 2001 rule or who have directly denounced the Administration’s new proposal. The 2001 rule has also been endorsed by legislation introduced by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), and 26 Senators have urged the president to drop his July proposal. More than 157 House members have supported the 2001 rule. The public comment period for the proposed rule ends September 14.
Available online
>> Gov. Warner’s letter
>> Gov. Easley’s letter
>> Background on Bush proposal
>> Information on sending comments to USFS
http://www.ems.org/nws/2004/09/07/gov_warner_pans_