December 31, 1999 Missoulian news briefs Bosie, AP: ldaho asks for delay on federal roadless plan.
The state's top officials asked a federal judge Thursday to block further action on the Clinton administration's plan to protect up to 50 million acres of roadless national forest - a fifth of that in Idaho - until more details and time for comment are provided. [Montana has joined Idaho in their request says Governor Racicot.]
The Forest Service called it premature, and a Wilderness Society spokesman said it was a stunt drummed up by the timber !ndustry.
CAG Comment
The Wilderness Society wants to leave control of public land in the hands of the Forest Service even though it is well documented that private industry takes better care of the forests than government agencies that have been captured by Friends of the Bitterroot, The Wilderness Society, The National Audubon Society, The National Wildlife Federation, Earth Share to name a few of the hundreds of such groups.
Also, reported on television, the public in Montana wants private industry to harvest timber and actively manage the forests.
Montana has also made it clear they don't want the federal agencies that have been captured by environmental interest groups managing land and resources in Montana.
The best interest of the environment and the citizens of the United States would be served if all actions, by executive order, etc., be delayed until the year 2001 and at that time have a new executive and legislative branch of government look at them and vote yea or nay.
If the actions contain good and worthwhile concepts now, they will be just as good and worthwhile in the year 2001.
One ounce of prevention is worth 10,000 pounds of cure - and not devestating.
End CAG Comment
The petition from the state Land Board, headed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, claimed the Forest Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to specifically identify the tracts making up the 5 million acres proposed for protection in Idaho. It also contended that the agency gave the states and the public only 60 days for initial comment on the sweeping initiative.
CAG Comment
This is nothing new. Idaho and Montana have had trouble with national agencies that have been captured by environmental interest groups in the past.
End CAG Comment
Idaho's lawsuit asks U.S. District Judge E. dward Lodge to require the Forest Service to issue detailed maps and extend the public comment period for an additional 120 days.
The harvest from 12 million acres of federal forests in Idaho last year was only a third of the cut in 1990 and matched the 250 million board feet cut from just 800,000 acres of state timber land. Revenue sharing from federal timber sales - cash that helps finance rural schools - has been halved in just the last six years.
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