Pelosi: Bush Administration’s New Regulation Repeal Roadless Rule
Pelosi: Bush Administration’s New Regulations Repeal Roadless Rule
Contact: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616
Thursday, May 5, 2005
Washington, D.C. â€" House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the Bush Administration’s new regulations dismantling the Roadless Area Conservation Rule:
â€Å"With the release of new forest regulations today, the Bush Administration has completed its slow but thorough evisceration of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Developed by President Clinton to protect 58 million acres of road-free areas in our national forests, and supported overwhelmingly by the public, the roadless rule was intended to protect recreation, wildlife, and sources of drinking water in our national forests.
â€Å"President Bush’s approach to our national forests is a perfect example of his policies on environmental protection â€" say the right thing, do the opposite. Early in his presidency, the Bush Administration announced their support for President Clinton’s roadless rule. Since then they failed to defend the rule from the lawsuits of the timber industry, and in fact worked hand in hand with opponents to overturn the rule in court.
â€Å"Today the Bush Administration is issuing new regulations that in effect repeal the roadless rule. Soon the logging trucks will be able to roll into the roadless sections of national forests around the country. At every step of the way, the Bush Administration has given lip service to protecting our forests, while working vigorously to open them to logging and mining.â€Â