09/21/06 Idaho roadless plan

Idaho Governor Jim Risch has given the US Department of Agriculture a petition that outlines the state's plan for the management of 9.3 million acres of roadless land within its ten national forests. Risch says more than 60 public meetings were held and nearly 16 hundred comments were received before he put the plan together. RISCH "Put together by county commissioners, that was put together by this office and whatever happens they have in their hands on this 9.3 million acres and on the 275 parcels what Idahoans want as far as the management of this property." No matter what happens is Risch's reference to a federal judge in Northern California who said yesterday that the Bush administration's state petition rule process had to go and the Clinton rule was reinstated. Mark Rey of USDA says that now evens the score; three judges have voted to scrap the Bush rule, three have said it stays. REY "And at the end of the day I think it's now more likely that the Supreme Court will make that decision than any other ruling body." Risch's plan put 5.5 million acres under a background category. 1.4 million acres would be wild land recreation, 1.67 million would be classified as primitive and just over a half million acres is listed as general forest. An advisory committee will review the Idaho plan next month. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott