Owens seeks protection for roadless landscapes

4.1 million acres would be covered in request to feds

Deborah Frazier, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 14, 2006 at midnight

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Gov. Bill Owens on Monday asked for federal protection of more than 4.1 million roadless acres in Colorado, following a state task force's advice.

The bipartisan task force spent nearly two years holding public meetings around the state and reviewing thousands of written comments from citizens.

More than 90 percent of the public comments favored full roadless protection for the untraveled landscapes, and that's what the task force recommended to Owens.

"The scenic landscapes, abundant wildlife and mountain vistas make Colorado such a wonderful place to live and raise a family," Owens said. "I applaud the task force for their commitment to this important process."

Under the Clinton administration, new roads were banned on nearly 59 million acres of national forest, but the Bush administration overturned the rule.

Bush gave states 18 months to develop their own rules and petition the government for state-by-state roadless rules.

A federal judge in San Francisco recently restored the 2001 roadless rule, but that ruling is under appeal.

"Few things are more important to Coloradans than the responsible stewardship of our national forests," Owens wrote to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns.

The 13-member task force included conservationists, a ski industry attorney, representatives from logging, ranching and energy development groups as well as recreation and wildlife advocates.

"The consensus we reached was a good solid compromise, even though it's not everything I would have wished for," said Doug Young, a task force member who is a policy director for Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo.

"It's been a long journey and my worry is that it's not over," said Young, referring to the federal rule- making process and litigation on returning to the Clinton-era roadless policy.

Rep. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, said he hopes the state's congressional delegation will run the state's roadless rule through the process.

"Most states involved in the process haven't gotten to the point of consensus," said Penry. "We attacked the issues instead of continuing the philosophical debate."

Colorado was the only state to have a task force, months of public hearings and extensive comment. Most members of the task force weren't available for comment Monday.

Dave Petersen, of Trout Unlimited, said one of the task force's achievements was a ban on new roads on new oil and gas leases after the rule goes into effect.

He said the recommendations were flawed in a few ways, including that the ability to build roads for fire protection and disease could open the way for commercial logging far from communities.

Steve Smith, of the Wilderness Society, praised Owens for respecting and honoring the task force's work.

"I think it's terrific," he said. "The message has been consistent that people in Colorado want roadless lands protected."

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