05/09/05 Roadless rule and its Idaho impact

A new rule outlined by the Bush Administration will give Governor Dirk Kempthorne 18 months to petition the US Forest Service with a plan to deal with more than nine million acres of roadless land. The rule announced last week replaced a road building ban issued by President Clinton in 2001. REY "You're likely going to hear from a lot of agitated people. They will say the forest will be destroyed." That's Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Rey who expects Idaho to be one of the states to will work with the Forest Service. He says that the new rule will not open up national forests to new road building projects. REY "There isn't a large number of Forest Service engineers sitting at drafting desks today wearing out number two pencils with road design projects." Rey believes the new rule will help to settle some of the ongoing conflicts over road building. REY "At least the states will be defendants with us rather than plaintiffs in the next round of litigation if there is one." Today's Idaho has nine million acres of national forest roadless areas, four million in BLM land and another four million of Congressional wilderness areas. In the past Governor Cecil Andrus, Senator Jim McClure and Congressman Larry LaRocco have all tried but failed to resolve some of Idaho wilderness disputes. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott