DENVER—Yesterday,
the Roadless Areas Review Task Force released its draft recommendations
for protecting roadless areas in Colorado’s national forests and opened
up a two-week public comment period through Friday, August 25th.
The
draft recommendations come at a time when many projects that compromise
roadless area values are being proposed. For example, oil and gas
drilling projects are moving forward in the HD Mountains Roadless Area
in the San Juan National Forest as well as today’s August 10th
auctioning of oil and gas leases in roadless areas on the White River,
Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison and Manti-La Sal National Forests.
Also, timber cutting proposals are pending in other roadless areas.
These
projects could ruin these roadless areas as roadless and undermine the
work of the task force and the thousands of public comments in support
of roadless area protections.
The following is a press statement from conservation and wildlife groups:
“The
task force has gone through a long process, and while it is a good
first step, the recommendations leave much room for improvement.
There’s more work ahead for the task force.
“The public has unequivocally called on strong protections for Colorado’s roadless areas.
“Colorado’s
roadless forests are some of the most valuable lands for unmatched
recreation opportunities, watershed protection, and wildlife habitat.
Colorado’s forests are a natural treasure in the state and the country.
“As
Coloradans, we are fortunate to be the stewards of these great places.
As their caretakers, our job is to make sure that any development that
occurs within them is absolutely necessary and of the smallest
footprint.
“We
applaud the task force for agreeing that road building for future oil
and gas development is inappropriate. This restriction is very
important; without it, the rule would be seriously weakened, especially
in light of the current onslaught of energy activity across Colorado’s
national forests.
“Given
that recent oil and gas drilling projects are moving forward in
roadless areas such as the HD Mountains and Mamm Peak as well as other
proposed timber and road building are proposed in several national
forests, it is critical that the governor ask the USDA for interim
protection. The task force should recognize that need and pass that
recommendation on to the Governor.
"Interim
protection means that any activity that compromises roadless values
should not be allowed until Colorado’s final rule has been adopted by
the USDA.
“The
task force has clearly said that roadless areas deserve protection, and
Colorado should have a rule that provides that protection.
“Given
that about 70% of the federal acres already leased for oil and gas in
Colorado have not been put into production, there is no reason to make
Colorado’s roadless forests a sacrifice zone before the Colorado rule
is finalized.
“Also,
it is inappropriate to remove tens of thousands of roadless lands from
all protections in the name of accommodating one proposed activity,
temporary surface facilities such as methane vents for underground coal
mining.
“The
task force can accommodate the limited surface disturbance needed for
coal mining while also protecting in the strongest possible way the
fish and wildlife habitat in these roadless areas.
“Lastly,
it is clear that we need to ensure that communities are safe from
wildfire. Treating forests right next to communities makes sense.
However, cutting timber and building roads deep within our national
forests far from communities makes no sense. Not only is it costly, but
it threatens Colorado’s wildlife. We need to make sure that the timber
cutting and associated road building exceptions are appropriately
narrow."
Organizations
signing onto this press statement include Arkansas Valley Audubon
Society, Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition, Colorado Environmental
Coalition, Colorado Wild, Environment Colorado, High Country Citizens
Alliance, National Wildlife Federation, San Juan Citizens Alliance,
Sierra Club, Western Colorado Congress, Western Slope Environmental
Resource Council, and Wilderness Workshop.
