Document text
CLEAR Temp: 72 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, June 25, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend June 11, 2003 Roadless regs give states role in federal land use By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune A plan by the Bush administration to change roadless area regulations governing national forests drew applause from the timber industry and alarm from the environmental camp. Mark Rey, undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture, announced this week that beginning in the fall state governors could seek exemptions in the policy blocking road-building in remote areas of federal forests. The change will give individual states a greater role in land-use decisions, he said. In Oregon, nearly 2 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in which development is blocked were included in the so- called roadless rule adopted in the final days of the Clinton administration. That includes 81,417 acres in the 631,000- acre Rogue River forest and 287,063 acres in the 1.1 million-acre Siskiyou forest. Nationally, the figure is about 58 million acres of federal land. The inventoried roadless area is in blocks of more than 5,000 acres. Advertisement The move by the Bush administration to weaken the roadless rule reflects its pro-business, anti-environment stance, said Brenna Bell, staff attorney for the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center. "It’s not surprising but the way they are going about it is unprecedented," she said. "They are giving persuasive authority to the states to manage federal public land. "That’s both disturbing and potentially illegal," she added. "Federal land doesn’t just belong to the people where those lands are located," she said. The roadless rule enacted by the Clinton administration in 2000 was the result of countless public hearings and comments gathered nationwide, she said. "This roadless rule decision was made after more than 1 million comments were received," she said. "There were many public meetings. They put a lot of time and energy into this." But Dave Hill, executive vice president of the Southern Oregon Timber Industries Association, said the change would benefit the entire region. "It could be a very valuable tool, particularly in southwestern Oregon where it can be utilized on rehabilitation and reforestation of the Biscuit fire," he said, referring to last summer’s nearly half-million-acre blaze that burned largely in the Siskiyou forest. He estimates there are 97,500 acres of inventoried roadless area in the Siskiyou forest that were burned by the fire. Allowing timber salvage in that area would dramatically increase the amount of fire-killed timber available, possibly up to 300 million board feet, he said. Currently, the Forest Service estimates that about 100 million board feet of timber could be salvaged from the forest. A final decision on the salvage isn’t expected until the end of the year. "With this new option coming down the road, Gov. (Ted) Kulongoski could request that the Siskiyou enter these roadless areas for public health and safety, to reduce wildfires and restore wildlife habitat," Hill said. "Oregon and Kulongoski should jump on the opportunity." The annual harvest on the Siskiyou forest is about 24 million board feet while the cut on the Rogue River forest is about 26 million board feet. Rey said the change would allow state governors to use the exemption only on a limited basis where appropriate, according to the Associated Press. "These are federal lands (and) federal resources," he said. "We have an obligation to protect them. At the same time we have always welcomed the cooperative participation of state governments that have the broadest possible support." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times