November 22, 1999
For More Information:  Wilma Reed Marine 812-277-3580



Bedford, IN, (Nov 22) -- The Hoosier National Forest has scheduled two meetings to solicit public comment on President Clinton's initiative to protect roadless areas within the National Forest System. These meetings are part of a public rulemaking process for more than 40 million acres of national forest areas.

     President Clinton kicked off the process with his announcement in early October during a visit to the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia.

     The President is asking the American people to help decide the future and fate of more than 40 million acres of forest land," said Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. "Working together we can ensure that our children and our children's children will be able to enjoy these precious lands as much as we do."

     As part of its Notice of Intent (NOI) to protect roadless areas, the Forest Seervice has scheduled 10 national meetings across the country and every national forest with an affected roadless area will have its own public meeting.

     The Hoosier NF area is the 7,000 acre Mogan Ridge area in Perry County. Meetings will be held on December 9 beginning at 6 p.m. in Troy at the Fulton Hill Community Center on Walnut Street and at the same time at the Morgan County 4-H Fair Building on Hospital Drive in Martinsville.

     USDA will use the public comments from the meetings to shape how it addresses the roadless issue over the next year. The meetings, which are not required by law, are also just the first opportunity for public comment on the roadless issue.

     The Agency's long-term roads proposed policy, which is expected to be released in the next few weeks, will also be discussed at the meetings. Once the proposed policy, which will focus on managing the existing road system is published in the Federal Register, the Forest Service will start a 90-day public comment period. The final long-term road policy is expected to be published this summer.

     "This is just the beginning of a year-long process," Glickman said. "We are volunteering to do such a comprehensive and extensive public outreach effort this early in the process because we really want to engage people in shaping the debate about the future of these lands. Other opportunities to comment will follow when the Forest Service releases its draft environmental documents."

     A strategic team, comprised of representatives from the Forest Service, will be preparing the Forest Service's draft environmental impact statement (DEIA).

     In the meantime, the Forest Service has initiated a 60-day comment period as part of the NOI for protecting roadless areas. During this comment period, the Forest Service will invite affected state, local, and tribal governments and members of the public to identify issues that should be analyzed in depth during the remainder of the process. After this comment period ends on December 20, 1999, the Forest Service will begin writing the DEIS. The agency will then release the document early next year and again seek extensive public involvement in the process before making a final decision.

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