Untouched national forests lose Clinton-era protections

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002265097_roadless06m.html

The Bush administration yesterday opened the door to logging, mining and other development on 58 million acres of roadless national forests, scrapping Clinton-era protections and ceding Western governors greater control over vast swaths of public lands.

Gov. Christine Gregoire immediately promised to protect much of Washington's untouched national-forest land. But state officials were already questioning the challenge of devising a new management plan covering 2 million acres.

"The governor far prefers the Clinton rule," said Elliot Marks, natural-resources policy adviser to Gregoire, describing the Bush administration's new stance as "process-heavy and pretty burdensome."

The plan now allows governors to submit petitions within 18 months to stop road building on some of the 34.3 million acres where it would now be permitted. Governors also could request that new forest-management plans be written to allow the construction on some of the other 24.2 million acres.