Copyright 2000 The Houston Chronicle Publishing Company
The Houston Chronicle
May 11, 2000, Thursday 3 STAR EDITION
SECTION: A; Pg. 44
LENGTH:
255 words
HEADLINE: FOREST ROADS;
Clinton right,
but should have included the Tongass
SOURCE: Staff
BODY:
President Clinton is correct in calling for a
ban on new road construction in roadless areas of this
country's national forests. His worthy goal is to preserve millions of acres of
virgin forest lands for future generations. But the president did not go far
enough, unfortunately. He exempted the 8.7 million-acre Tongass National Forest
in Alaska from his request. That means the decision on whether to ban road
building in the Tongass, the nation's largest rainforest, will be delayed until
2004, keeping open the possibility that much of it may be carved up by roads and
logged over during the intermediate years.
Clinton's recommendation on
road building does not involved congressional action. The Forest Service, an
agency within the Agricultural Department, will issue a ruling on the
president's proposal following a study and comments from the public.
Naturally, the logging industry is opposed to the proposal. However,
years of extensive road building in national forests has cost taxpayers millions
of dollars. Existing roads are often environmental hazards and cannot be
maintained.
The president's proposal would reduce the amount of logs
taken from national forests, but not appreciably affect logging overall, since
only 5 percent of timber used in the United States is taken from national
forests.
President Clinton is doing the right thing in trying to save
pristine areas of the nation for generations yet unborn. We only wish he had
included the Tongass, the largest forest of all.
TYPE:
Editorial Opinion
LOAD-DATE: May 12, 2000
