| Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne commented on
Idaho's lawsuit over the Roadless Initiative during his "state of the
state" address.
...And while we intend to work in cooperation to develop a solution to these critical species issues, we will not allow the federal government to dictate by decree how Idaho’s lands are managed. Given the little we know about it so far, the Clinton Administration’ plan to halt development on roadless areas would affect the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Idahoans. And it could affect the value of our public trust lands – which translates directly into the dollars that help fund our schools for our children. As President of the Land Board, maintaining the value of our lands for our children is a responsibility I take very seriously. Just as I do protecting Idaho’s water. Idaho has asked for more time to review the roadless proposal. The federal government has denied our request. Idaho has asked for basic information. Thus far, they have refused. And therefore, Idaho is the first state in the Union to file suit against this unilateral action by the federal government. The other members of the Land Board and I have joined in this bipartisan lawsuit to seek more time and more information. When a decision like this could dramatically affect this state, we have every right to insist on this information. If it takes a lawsuit to get their attention, then we’ll see them in court. Our Attorney General, Al Lance, has an excellent track record in federal court. And I’ve sent a letter to all of the western governors, notifying them of our lawsuit. Because regardless of their affiliation, they understand that a dictatorial approach is not how democracy works. And the states of the United States must stand firm and say no. Here's a link to the entire speech: |