Contact: Adena Cook at ph. (208)2524-3062 or e-mail bradena@sharetrails.org

November 22, 1999 (POCATELLO, IDAHO) -- The Forest Service last week began a series of public hearings to receive comments on President Clinton's Roadless Protection Initiative. Each of these hearings were hastily scheduled in or near the Forest Service's regional headquarters. Notice of the meetings had only just appeared in the Federal Register on November 10.

Adena Cook, Public Lands Director for the BlueRibbon Coalition, attended and testified at the meeting scheduled December17 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Local notice had just appeared in the Salt Lake media that very day. Mrs. Cook reported on her impressions of the meeting.

"I was surprised at the number who attended, given such a short notice" said Cook. "Wilderness advocates, who are pushing the Clinton Administration to lock up 60 million more acres of roadless and unroaded lands, were highly organized, and obviously had advance notice."

"Our perspective, which speaks for keeping public land open to the public, was capably represented by the few who were able to find out about the meeting," Mrs. Cook continued, "We were, unfortunately, outnumbered by an Wilderness elitists who represent only 2% of the recreating public." (only 2% of national forest recreationists visit Wilderness areas) "This elite group, already having over 100 million acres of designated Wilderness, now want to lock up an additional 60 million acres. These public lands are now enjoyed by a wide variety of recreationists, motorized and non-motorized. The Wilderness advocates want to kick these folks out of the backcountry and have it all for themselves."

Mrs. Cook also pointed out that the Wasatch-Cache National Forest was currently revising their forest plan, and that public meetings were an ongoing part of this effort.

"It's obvious you care deeply about your local forest, " she said, "Why would you want the management of your forest dictated top-down from Washington, DC? You should go to those local meetings where you can look at the maps and resolve these roadless issues on the ground."

Forest Service officials stated that other meetings would be held on this initiative in or near each of the nation's national forests. Since the comment deadline on this proposal is December 20, these meetings must be hastily organized and announced as well.

Mrs Cook concluded, "The Wilderness extremists obviously have the inside track. To be fair, we must lengthen the comment period at least 120 days to let the general public know what's going on. If the present schedule is maintained, the public will be kept in the dark until they visit their favorite forest next. Then all they'll see is a 'closed' sign."