05.09.01

Cantwell Wins First Round On Roadless Forest Rule; Sets Stage For Second Debate On Environmental Issues

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) issued the following statement today in response to the Department of Agriculture's announcement that the Bush Administration is backing down from its previous intention to repeal the existing "Roadless Forest Protection Rule," but will begin a new rulemaking process in June to establish a new rule that could open America's few remaining roadless national forests to more oil, gas and timber development. "Over the past few months, the Bush Administration's response to the Roadless Forest Protection Rule has sparked two separate but equally passionate debates: the first was focused on getting the Administration to recognize and enforce the existing law; the second will focus on the environmental questions related to protecting roadless forests and vital watersheds for future generations.

"Since my first days in the Senate, I have been working to show the Administration that this rule has the force and effect of law, and can only be altered by a new rulemaking process that provides opportunity for careful public input, and that provides new justifications for reopening these roadless areas to timber, oil and gas companies.

"By winning the first battle, and finally persuading the Administration to abide by and enforce a law already on the books, we've set the stage for constructive debate on the environmental issues.

"The current law, which simply precludes new road construction on 58 million acres of public land, does more than any previous measure to protect America's few remaining roadless forests from further development by oil, gas and timber companies. The Roadless Forest Protection Rule preserves open space for recreational uses, including hunting, fishing, mountain biking and snowmobiling; protects watersheds that are sources of clean drinking water; and keeps intact pristine habitat for fish and wildlife.

"I'm concerned that some of the changes the President wants to make could seriously undermine those protections - and I'll fight him when I think he's wrong - but I respect his authority to consider changes to this or any other federal regulation - as long as he plays by the rules.

"Something no one in the Administration has addressed as yet is the need to do environmental impact statements in compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act if they're proposing changes that could result in human alteration or impact to the environment. Given the President's apparent preference for forest-by-forest decision making, it may be necessary for the Administration to prepare a separate environmental impact statement justifying the reopening of each roadless parcel.

"We have been through major technological changes in this country, and one of the consequences of this wireless revolution is that people can now live and work anywhere they choose. Business no longer ties people to urban areas. But what we've gained in mobility, we've lost in open space. With the pace of development of open space and cropland doubling over the past 10 years, preservation of publicly owned open space becomes more important and more valuable. America's "wide-open spaces" are quickly disappearing, and once lost can never be recovered.

"I support the Roadless Forest Protection Rule, and the long-term view it takes on preserving national forests for future generations. It is a reasoned approach, particularly given that the Forest Service already has 380,000 miles of roads on Forest Service property and that most of these roads are in disrepair. In fact, the Forest Service has an $8.4 billion road maintenance backlog.

"I am confident that competing uses for public lands could be better managed if we focus on improving the condition of existing roads on the millions of acres of forest lands that remain open to road building and leasing for timber, oil, gas and coal.

"Recent polls show that 67 percent of all Americans - including 58 percent of Republicans - strongly support the current protections this rule provides for roadless national forests and public watersheds. The process the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture undertook to establish this rule in the first place included 600 public meetings in local communities nationwide and 1.6 million public comments - the most extensive public outreach in the history of the National Environmental Policy Act. There were 60,000 comments from Washington state alone, and 96 percent of those favored strong protection for roadless national forests.

"Given that level of public participation and support, I believe it will be extremely difficult for the Administration to make any changes that people perceive as threatening those protections or weakening the Roadless Forest Protection Rule."