Environment North
Carolina Applauds District Court Decision
Raleigh--Judge
Elizabeth Laporte of the Northern District of California today overturned the
Bush administration’s repeal of protections for nearly 60 million acres of
pristine national forest lands, including 170,000 acres North
Carolina.
“The Bush administration took way too many short-cuts in
their rush to clear cut,” said Margaret Hartzell, Environment North Carolina
Field Associate.
Judge Laporte found that the Bush administration’s rule
violated the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and
Administrative Procedures Act.
The court’s action follows two key developments concerning
wild forest lands in North Carolina.
In March, Governor Easley filed a
petition with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture seeking to protect more than
170,000 acres of unspoiled forests in the Pisgah, Nantahala, and Croatan
National Forests. The Secretary accepted the Governor’s
petition in June, initiating, in effect, a second rule-making process to
protect the state’s wild forests.
The judge’s decision to reinstate the original Roadless Area
Conservation Rule means that a second rule making process is not necessary to
protect North Carolina’s national
forests.
“North Carolina’s
wild forests are once again safe from logging and road-building,” said
Hartzell. “These pristine areas can be
enjoyed by generations of future North Carolinians.”
Environment North Carolina
applauded the court’s decision, but noted that the Governor’s petition remains
a critical backstop for protecting the state’s forests.
The decision reinstates protections first put in place in
2001 under a policy known as the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The Roadless Rule protects the last third of America's
national forests while allowing new road construction in order to fight fires,
ensure public safety, and allow brush clearing to protect forest health. The
Roadless Rule ensures that forests will continue to provide clean drinking
water, habitat for wildlife, and endless opportunities for recreation and
solitude.
The Roadless Rule is the most popular conservation
initiative in our nation's history, having already been supported by a
record-breaking 2.5 million public comments, including 50,000 from North
Carolinians.
