FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oregon Wild Statement on Colorado Roadless Plan

Roadless Advocate Rob Klavins weighs in on potential harm to Oregon roadless backcountry

The Obama administration shifted positions today on the national 2001 Roadless Rule, supporting an inferior state-based plan designed by Colorado officials.

Background:

When it was finalized, The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule afforded balanced protections to 58.5 million acres of the last pristine roadless areas in our National Forests including nearly 2 million acres in Oregon. The Rule is one of the most popular conservation efforts in history and came out of the most extensive public process in federal rule-making history. During that process, Oregonians submitted more public comments per-capita than any other state. Over 90% were in favor of the rule.

The Rule protects the source of drinking water for millions of Americans and 80% of Oregonians. The Rule protects our last remaining pristine wildlands from commercial logging, roadbuilding, and other destructive development without reducing current levels of access.

Almost immediately after taking office, the Bush Administration attempted to repeal, weaken, and dismantle the popular rule – including an effort (since deemed illegal) to hand roadless protections in our National Forests back to the states. Thanks to continued public support, only 535 acres were logged and 7 miles of roads were built in inventoried roadless areas across the country. Still, years of conflict left the Rule’s fate uncertain. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised to defend and uphold the 2001 Roadless Rule.

Statement of Rob Klavins, Roadless Wildlands Advocate for Oregon Wild

"Oregonians were heartened when candidate Obama supported protections for our nation’s last pristine roadless backcountry – nowhere more so than here in Oregon. Today we join with citizens around the country in expressing dismay that President Obama supported a Colorado plan that puts roadless wildlands in that state, and ours, at risk.

"Governor Ritter’s roadless scheme was planned through a Bush-initiated process that allows provincial interests to pursue destructive development in the remaining undeveloped backcountry of our National Forests. The plan, today lauded by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack as giving 'flexibility' to coal mines would remove national protections from 4.4 million acres of pristine roadless backcountry and is another major giveaway to coal and other extractive interests.

"It’s darkly ironic that on a day when headlines across the country are lamenting the dangers of the dirty coal industry, Secretary Vilsack is lauding as sound environmental policy a plan that gives more flexibility to coal mines to mine their cheap and dirty product from our most treasured wild places.

"Colorado politicians want to manage our national forests their own way, but this backwards plan jeopardizes protections for roadless wildlands across the nation. Oregonians don't want the last fraction of our state's pristine forests to be mined, logged, and destroyed. Despite what the rest of the country wants for our forests that remain unscarred by roads, Colorado is saying it is their way or the highway.

"In a moment of serendipity, today the Forest Service is in Portland, holding a series of meetings asking for public comment on forest management for the next century. We hope they hear the message loud and clear today that Oregonians value our National Forests for clean water, recreational opportunities, and as a legacy for future generations – not as sources of cheap profits for coal companies and other destructive special interests."

Find our more about the 2001 Roadless Rule.

Read a letter from the conservation community to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack responding to today's announcement.

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