[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 35 (Thursday, March 15, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E374-E375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         WE NEED TO KEEP RULES TO PROTECT FOREST ROADLESS AREAS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 15, 2001

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, the new Administration is 
reviewing a number of new rules and regulations proposed or adopted by 
the Clinton-Gore Administration last year.
  I understand why a new Administration would want to undertake such a 
review. And there may be some areas where a change of course might be 
appropriate.
  But there is definitely one set of new rules that should be retained 
as they stand--the new rules to protect the remaining roadless areas of 
our national forests.
  Those rules make good sense as a way to protect natural resources, 
provide more diverse recreational opportunities, and preserve some of 
the undisturbed landscapes that make Colorado and other western States 
such special places to live and visit.
  That is why the Mayor of Boulder, Colorado, has written to President 
Bush urging retention of the roadless-area rules. It is why the Boulder 
City Council has adopted a resolution supporting those rules. And it is 
why I have written Secretary of Agriculture Anne M. Veneman, urging 
that the rules be kept in place.
  For the information of our colleagues, I am including in the Record 
at this point my letter to the Secretary, the letter to the President 
from Mayor R. Toor, and the resolution of the Boulder City Council.

                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                   Washington, DC, March 13, 2001.
     Hon. Ann M. Veneman,
     Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Veneman: I am enclosing a copy of a letter 
     to the President from William R. Toor, Mayor of the City of 
     Boulder, Colorado, regarding the new rules for management of 
     inventoried roadless areas published in the Federal Register 
     in January, 2000, and a resolution regarding those rules that 
     was recently adopted by the Boulder City Council.
       As you can see, Mayor Toor's letter and the City Council's 
     resolution support these rules and urge their full 
     implementation.
       I join in that recommendation. I am convinced that these 
     rules make good sense as a way to protect natural resources, 
     provide more diverse recreational opportunities and preserve 
     some of the undisturbed landscapes that are such a special 
     part of Colorado and other Western states.
       The new rules were developed through an extensive public 
     process. They were the subject of both draft and final 
     environmental impact statements. They were discussed at more 
     than 600 public meetings and were the subject of more than 
     1.5 million public comments.
       In my opinion, these rules reflect the highest standards of 
     science-based public policy. Biologists tell us the 
     inventoried roadless areas of the national forests are 
     valuable for wildlife, and support ecosystem health and the 
     full range of native species. They also are important sources 
     of clean water for many communities like Boulder, in Colorado 
     and other states, and provide a bulwark against the spread of 
     invasive species, such as the many species of weeds that 
     plague ranchers in our state and throughout the west.
       And, above all, these special areas ``possess social and 
     ecological values and characteristics that are becoming 
     scarce in an increasingly developed landscape,'' in the words 
     of the final environmental impact statement.
       The areas to be covered by the new rules were identified by 
     detailed, on-the-ground studies that have been regularly 
     updated and supplemented through the regular forest-planning 
     process and additional studies focused on threatened and 
     endangered species or other aspects of forest management.
       For example, the Forest Service's latest Arapaho-Roosevelt 
     National Forest plan, developed with extensive public 
     involvement, was completed in 1997. It identifies more than 
     300,000 acres of roadless areas--including some 40,000 acres 
     in Boulder County alone. The new rules will apply to those 
     areas and will simply mean that their roadless 
     characteristics will be maintained. That forest is one of the 
     closest to the Denver-metro area, so it is one of the most 
     heavily used and affected. If we do not begin now to protect 
     the unspoiled lands in that forest--and similar forests 
     throughout Colorado and the West--we will lose forever the 
     natural benefits and special qualities that they provide.
       These rules will provide long-overdue protection for some 
     of the most important parts

[[Page E375]]

     of our federal lands. People in other states may have 
     different reactions, but in view of the importance of the 
     national forests for our state and our country I think they 
     deserve the support of every Coloradan and should be retained 
     by the Bush Administration.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Mark Udall.

                                  ____
                                  

                                                  City of Boulder,


                                   Office of the City Manager,

                                   Boulder, CO, February 26, 2001.
     President George W. Bush,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear President Bush, I am writing on behalf of the City of 
     Boulder to voice our strong support for full and prompt 
     implementation of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule 
     published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001 (66 
     Fed. Reg. 3244).
       On February 6, 2001 the Boulder City Council unanimously 
     approved the attached Resolution asking you to reaffirm the 
     commitment to designate more than 58 million acres of 
     inventoried roadless areas. In particular, the City of 
     Boulder has a great interest in the protection of roadless 
     areas in the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests because 
     of their proximity to Boulder and association with other 
     public lands which are vital to protecting high quality 
     native ecosystems and recreational opportunities.
       On behalf of the City Council and the people of Boulder 
     Colorado, I respectfully request that you direct the 
     Secretary of Agriculture to initiate the process for 
     protecting the 58 million acres designated in the Roadless 
     Area Conservation Rule.
       Thank you for your support in this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                  William R. Toor,
                                                            Mayor.

                                  ____
                                  

                           Resolution No. 875

       A Resolution of the City Council for the City of Boulder, 
     Colorado, in Support of the Executive Order Designating New 
     Roadless Areas on United States Forest Service Lands.
       Whereas, the City of Boulder strongly supports President 
     Clinton's initiative to manage roadless areas on National 
     Forest Land;
       Whereas, the City of Boulder has a great interest in the 
     protection of the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests 
     because of their proximity to Boulder and association with 
     other public lands which are vital to protecting high quality 
     native ecosystems and recreational opportunities;
       Whereas, the City of Boulder supports the proposal to 
     restrict certain activities in unroaded portions of 
     inventoried roadless areas, as identified in RARE II and 
     existing forest plan inventories;
       Whereas, it is well known that road construction and use in 
     wildlife habitat areas can contribute significantly to 
     habitat fragmentation and stress on wildlife species;
       Whereas, the initiative restricts road construction and 
     establishes protective criteria for managing roadless areas 
     that will have positive impacts for biodiversity and enhanced 
     plant and wildlife protection;
       Whereas, over the course of a 13 month period, the U.S. 
     Forest Service received 1.7 million letters, faxes, e-mails 
     and postcards in support of the Clinton Administration's 
     forest initiative, providing the strongest possible 
     protection to National Forest roadless areas;
       Whereas, on November 13, 2000, the Forest Service released 
     its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that 
     supported the roadless area designation;
       Whereas, on January 5, 2001 President Clinton signed the 
     Record of Decision designating 58 and half million acres of 
     public land as roadless areas;
       Whereas, the Record of Decision has been suspended by 
     President Bush;
       Therefore, be it resolved that the City of Boulder 
     reaffirms its commitment to full implementation of the 
     Executive Order designating 58 and half million acres of 
     public land as roadless areas in perpetuity; and that the 
     City of Boulder calls upon President Bush to reaffirm the 
     executive order and not delay implementation of the Executive 
     Order; and directs that copies of this Resolution be sent to 
     the elected representatives of the residents of this 
     municipality, including the U.S. Representative(s), U.S. 
     Senators, and the President.
       Passed and adopted this 6th day of February, 2001.
                                                  William R. Toor,
                                                            Mayor.

     

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