Environment
Texas
Applauds District Court Decision
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. This
includes roughly 4,000 acres in the Sam
Houston National
Forest north of Houston.
“The
Bush administration took way too many short-cuts in their rush to clear cut,”
said Christian Alexander, a field associate with Environment Texas. “Our most pristine national forests are once
again safe from destructive logging, mining, and oil drilling.”
Judge
Laporte found that the Bush administration’s rule violated the National
Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and Administrative Procedures
Act.
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.
