Going-Going-Almost Gone ????
Apr 6, 2001 | 12:44 AM
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From the Friday Edition of the Idaho Statesman
Judge puts off roadless decision Lodge awaits word from Bush administration
By Rocky Barker
The Idaho Statesman
A federal judge wants to wait a month before deciding to block a rule banning roadbuilding and commercial logging in 58 million acres of
roadless national forests. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge will await a report from the Bush
administration May 4 on whether it intends to scrap the rule or keep it. But Lodge suggested he could rule in favor of Idaho, Boise Cascade Corp.
and others who have sued to block the rule enacted in the Clinton administration's closing days.
There was, Lodge said, "strong evidence that because of the hurried nature of this process, the Forest Service was not well informed enough
to present a coherent proposal or meaningful dialogue and that the end result was predetermined.
"Justice hurried on a proposal of this magnitude is justice denied," Idaho Attorney General Al Lance said.
During his campaign, President George Bush opposed the roadless rule that bans road-building and commercial logging in more than 9 million
acres of roadless forest in Idaho.
He delayed the rule's effective date from March 13 to May 12. Bush cannot simply repeal the rule, but he can start a new rulemaking process, which Lance supports.
"We need a process we can all be comfortable with," Lance said. Doug Honnold, an attorney for the Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Rivers United and other environmental groups, said the roadless rule is very popular nationwide as a "hot potato" as Lodge now hands it back to the Bush administration.
"They have to decide who they want to sit with in the courtroom, Boise Cascade or the American people who love forests," Honnold said.
The Forest Service held 600 public meetings and received 1.6 million comments on the policy.
An overwhelming majority supported banning roads and logging in the areas, which remain open to motorized recreation and hunting.
Idaho, Boise Cascade, Boise and Valley counties, motorized sport groups, Emmett rancher Brad Little and the Kootenai Tribe all sued, saying the public involvement was rushed.
Lodge agreed, saying the Forest Service did not comply with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act.
"The court conclusively finds that the comment period was grossly inadequate and thus deprived the public of any meaningful dialogue or
input into the process -- an obvious violation of NEPA," Lodge said.
End
We can always hope that saner heads will prevail.
Judge puts off roadless decision Lodge awaits word from Bush administration
By Rocky Barker
The Idaho Statesman
A federal judge wants to wait a month before deciding to block a rule banning roadbuilding and commercial logging in 58 million acres of
roadless national forests. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge will await a report from the Bush
administration May 4 on whether it intends to scrap the rule or keep it. But Lodge suggested he could rule in favor of Idaho, Boise Cascade Corp.
and others who have sued to block the rule enacted in the Clinton administration's closing days.
There was, Lodge said, "strong evidence that because of the hurried nature of this process, the Forest Service was not well informed enough
to present a coherent proposal or meaningful dialogue and that the end result was predetermined.
"Justice hurried on a proposal of this magnitude is justice denied," Idaho Attorney General Al Lance said.
During his campaign, President George Bush opposed the roadless rule that bans road-building and commercial logging in more than 9 million
acres of roadless forest in Idaho.
He delayed the rule's effective date from March 13 to May 12. Bush cannot simply repeal the rule, but he can start a new rulemaking process, which Lance supports.
"We need a process we can all be comfortable with," Lance said. Doug Honnold, an attorney for the Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Rivers United and other environmental groups, said the roadless rule is very popular nationwide as a "hot potato" as Lodge now hands it back to the Bush administration.
"They have to decide who they want to sit with in the courtroom, Boise Cascade or the American people who love forests," Honnold said.
The Forest Service held 600 public meetings and received 1.6 million comments on the policy.
An overwhelming majority supported banning roads and logging in the areas, which remain open to motorized recreation and hunting.
Idaho, Boise Cascade, Boise and Valley counties, motorized sport groups, Emmett rancher Brad Little and the Kootenai Tribe all sued, saying the public involvement was rushed.
Lodge agreed, saying the Forest Service did not comply with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act.
"The court conclusively finds that the comment period was grossly inadequate and thus deprived the public of any meaningful dialogue or
input into the process -- an obvious violation of NEPA," Lodge said.
End
We can always hope that saner heads will prevail.
