by Caroline Pufalt, Chapter Conservation Committee Chair
Last year 14,727 Missourians contacted the U.S. Forest Service to comment on the Roadless Area Conservation initiative. Of that number only 183 expressed general opposition to the proposal. A full 14,222 stated support for stronger roadless protection. Missourians were not alone in their overwhelming support for roadless area conservation. Across the country 95% of comments received were in favor of the draft proposal or even stronger measures of protection.
Thus when the Bush administration was trying to plot its strategy to defeat the proposal and reward its campaign contributors from the timber and mining companies, it faced a dilemma.
How could it derail such a popular proposal without appearing to show its true anti-environmental colors? Well, here's the strategy it came up with.
First, delay for 60 days implementation of the rule that was completed at the close of the Clinton administration and scheduled to take effect March 12, 2001.
Second, all but refuse to defend it in court as it faced challenges from the timber and paper companies. Remember nominee attorney general John Ashcroft’s pledge to uphold the law? I didn't believe him either.
Third, release an announcement from Bush’s new appointments in the Dept of Agriculture and the Forest Service that the administration will propose its own rule that seriously weakens the new one. Bush administration spokesmen were careful to state that the President and the agencies now under his control will protect roadless areas, but the details say otherwise. Bush’s new rule would undercut the existing work and public input of the past two years. Bush’s plan puts roadless area protection all up for grabs at the individual forest level at the discretion of the individual Forest Supervisor.
Just as ominous is the stated position of the new Secretary of Agriculture, Ann Venemen, on roadless area protection. (Remember that the Forest Service is part of the Department of Agriculture.) Veneman has emphasized that roadless areas need to be protected from insects, disease and fire. While that may sound harmless enough, in practice for the Forest Service, “protection” from fire and pestilence often involves maintaining and building extensive roads.
Just how the Bush policy will unfold is not clear at this writing. On June 7, Forest Service Chief Bosworth released a statement to Regional Foresters that he was temporarily taking jurisdiction over any timber sales in roadless areas but shifted ultimate resolution of the roadless area to the forest planning process. However, that planning process is itself in flux. A revised planning process developed during the Clinton administration has been withdrawn by the Bush administration. Now, the Bush administration is rewriting the planning process so the public does not know what involvement will be available for further input.
We will keep you updated in the Ozark Sierran, but you may wish to receive updates directly from the Forest Service. If you would like to keep apace of this issue and be in a position to comment on any further proposals, send a letter to the Forest Service supervisor at the Mark Twain National forest and express your support again for the original Roadless Area Conservation initiative and ask to be kept on the mailing list for any further roadless area or forest planning steps. You may send your letter to:
MTNF Supervisor Randy Moore
401 Fairgrounds Road
Rolla MO 65401