On July 16, the Forest Service published a proposed regulation regarding management of roadless areas for public review and comment. The proposed regulation would replace the Clinton Roadless Rule, which seriously flawed and was struck down by a federal court.

The proposed rule goes a long way toward fixing many of the flaws, primarily by bring state, county and local input back into the process of managing national forest land. It gives Governors an opportunity to work with the Forest Service to establish management requirements for national forest roadless areas inside their states.

Your comments on the proposed regulation are critical to ensuring local input to management of roadless areas in the national forests. Please help by sending a comment to the Forest Service.

-You support the proposed regulation for Special Areas: State Petition for Inventoried Roadless Area Management.

-You believe the proposed regulation will allow States to address the issues better than was done in the Clinton Roadless Rule, will provide an opportunity for local input into roadless area management, and will provide for better forest health on the national forests.

-The mountain pine beetle epidemic that started in the Beaver Park Roadless Area is a clear example of why roadless areas can’t simply be put off-limits to all management.

-Final decisions about roadless areas should be made through amendments to the forest plans.

-The final rule should require an update of all roadless area boundaries within 18 months.

-A national advisory committee is not necessary and that proposal should be dropped.