A Stealthy Blow to National Forests

In another bit of environmental sleight of hand, the Bush administration has said it will uphold a Clinton administration forest protection order, when it really plans to modify or undermine it.

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman said the administration will implement a ban on new roads in nearly 60 million acres of national forest, a landmark Clinton administration ruling to save roadless areas from logging, mining and other exploitation. At the same time, Veneman said the Bush administration will propose allowing state and local officials to weigh in on how to implement the rule on a forest-by-forest basis.

The Bush officials say the rule was implemented without enough consultation. In fact, some 600 hearings were held and the Forest Service heard from a record 1.6 million people, including 140,293 in California. They favored the roadless protection rule by 52 to 1.

The new administration knew, after its experience with overturning other proposed rules, that there would be tough opposition to killing the plan outright. Its changes could instead fragment the plan, diluting its protections.

We urge the administration to recognize that the future of the U.S. Forest Service is in conservation of the best of the forests for recreational enjoyment, not commercial exploitation and despoilment.