| Press Release |
|
|
 |
| April 21, 2006 |
|
Governor asks feds to protect 2 million acres of forest land
Oregon’s roadless lands are ‘priceless treasures,’ Governor says
Salem, OR—Governor Ted Kulongoski announced today that he will petition the US Forest Service to protect nearly 2.0 million acres of national forest roadless lands in Oregon as part of a multi-faceted strategy, the Governor’s office announced Monday.
“I strongly support restoring protection to Oregon’s roadless areas,” the Governor said. “These lands are part of every Oregonian’s natural heritage. They are priceless treasures that provide critical habitat for wildlife and fish, as well as watershed and recreational opportunities. We must not subject them to the damage they would suffer from road-building and logging.”
The Governor will submit his petition later this year in accordance with a rule the federal government adopted in 2005, which grants 18 months to state governors to urge either protection of the forest lands or opening them for development. The controversial rule, which Governor Kulongoski opposed, replaced the 2001 Roadless Area Protection Rule, and opened the possibility that the federal government would lift protection of roadless areas in Oregon and elsewhere.
In August of last year, the Governor joined the states of California and New Mexico in suing the federal government over the 2005 rule. Several other states have joined the suit, which is still pending.
In October of 2005, Governor Kulongoski asked the federal Secretary of Agriculture to create a streamlined process that would preserve the protection provided by the 2001 Roadless Area Protection Rule, and not require using the cumbersome process specified in the 2005 rule. The federal government denied the request.
On March 9, 2006, Governor Kulongoski asked the US Forest Service to halt plans for logging in two timber sales in the Biscuit Fire Complex on the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon—both roadless areas—while the petition process afforded under the 2005 rule is carried out.
“The 2005 Rule assured statesthat these unique areas would continue to be protected while each governor prepared a petition,” the Governor said. “So while I continue to challenge the adoption of the 2005 Rule, I am also simultaneously developing a petition for Oregon. I ask again that the Forest Service defer logging in the Biscuit roadless areas while I pursue my objective of permanently protecting the 1.9 million acres of roadless areas in Oregon.”
The petition process will include evaluating the analyses and inventories of roadless areas used to adopt the earlier rule. The Governor’s staff, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Oregon Department of Forestry are already coordinating this effort.
The process will assess the public input received for the 2001 rule, but will include its own public comment component. The final petition will be submitted by November 2006.
Media Contacts:
Lonn Hoklin (503.378.6169)
Anna Richter Taylor (503.378.6496)
|
|
|
|
