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Release Date: July 25, 2008
DENVER-The Bush administration today released a new proposed rule for Colorado’s backcountry forestlands that would undermine existing protections currently in place for critical wildlife habitat, watersheds, and popular recreation spots. The Draft Rule and Environmental Impact Statement would result in less protection for our forests here in Colorado than in other states. Conservation, recreation and other local groups are poring through the details of the proposed rule to glean exactly what this last-ditch attempt by the Bush administration means for these popular undeveloped forests—places that Coloradans and Americans across the nation strongly favor protecting under the existing Roadless Area Conservation Rule. But, even on a cursory read, enough stands out to show that this proposal is devastating for Colorado’s forests and the wildlife that depends on them for survival. “This new rule is another snub from the Bush administration to Colorado,” said Suzanne Jones, Central Rockies Regional Director for The Wilderness Society. “It goes against the wishes of the vast majority of Coloradans who sent in comments on this issue, and fails to protect Colorado’s pristine forests to the same standard as other states.” • Under the Bush administration’s proposed rule, miles of new roads would be punched through wildlife habitat and watersheds. Although the proposed rule says these would be “temporary,” they would remain in place for 30 years or longer. • The new proposed rule would allow hundreds of new gas wells, roads, and transportation pipelines in roadless areas that would destroy the heart of Colorado’s protected national forests, even though this development would do nothing to lower gas prices at the pump and would—at most—only supply a few days worth of America’s natural gas demand. • A recent Pew Environment Group report shows that nearly 100 new leases for natural gas have already been sold in Colorado’s roadless areas in violation of a promise made by the Bush administration to protect these areas while it considers their management. “The Bush administration is rushing this rule in an attempt to give away even more of our public lands to industry before it leaves office,” said Amy Mall, senior policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “It follows on the heels of its announcement that it will lease all of the public lands of the Roan Plateau in August—against the wishes of the majority of Coloradans, Governor Ritter’s administration, and many in the Colorado congressional delegation.”
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