One of the most controversial environmental policies of the Bush administration suffered another blow in September, when federal district court Judge Elizabeth Laporte effectively reinstated protections for nearly 60 million acres of pristine national forest land.

The “Roadless Rule,” as it came to be known, protects the remaining pristine areas within iconic national forests like the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, the Siskiyou-Rogue River National Forest in Oregon, and the Chatahoochee National Forest in Georgia.

These areas have no roads, and retain their unique character because they are off-limits to developers, logging trucks and mining operations.

President Clinton signed the Roadless Rule in 2001. When the Bush administration repealed the rule shortly after taking office in 2001, it replaced the policy with an unwieldy, unscientific and unpopular plan that passed the buck to state governors. They could either petition to protect the forests or open them to logging, drilling or other forms of development.

As part of a coalition of environmental groups, local conservation organizations, recreational businesses owners and scientists, we mobilized public opposition to get individual state governors in California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Michigan, Arizona and New Mexico to protect roadless areas in their states’ national forests.

While the court’s decision is a victory for the hundreds of staff and volunteers that worked on the campaign and the millions of people that enjoy these pristine places, the Bush administration will likely appeal the decision.

Roadless Timeline
A partial timeline of events leading to the decision to protect roadless areas:

October 13, 1999: After President Clinton proposes the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, designed to protect nearly 60 million acres of pristine national forests, supporters mobilize a quarter of a million people to send positive comments to the U.S. Forest Service.

January 5, 2001: President Clinton signs the Roadless Rule into law.

January 20, 2001: President Bush takes office. White House directive postpones effective date of all federal rules not yet in effect, including Roadless Rule.

November 15, 2004: Comment period on draft rule ends. More than 1.7 million comments (so far) oppose the Administration’s proposal and support retaining the Roadless Rule.

Fall 2004 to June 2005: Fifty papers in over 30 states editorialize in favor of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and against the Bush administration’s attempts to turn over the management of these unspoiled forests to states.

August 30, 2005: After citizens urge them to do so, the governors of Maine, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Oregon file petitions or announce their intention to file petitions requesting the reinstatement of protections for roadless forests in their states.

September 20, 2006: Judge LaPorte’s decision reinstates roadless protections.