Democratic Presidential Candidates Join the Roads Debate

By Traci Robinson, Web Coordinator,
(301) 897-8720, ext. 155; Fax: (301) 897-3690; e-mail: robinsot@safnet.org

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On January 5, presidential candidates Vice President Al Gore and former Senator Bill Bradley locked horns over logging in national forests during a "spirited" debate televised from Durham, NH (Greenwire, 1/6).

The issue centered around the Clinton administration's proposal to permanently ban logging, road building and other development on approximately 50 million acres of national forests (Union Leader, 1/6).

According to Vice President Gore, "That order was a preliminary statement and allowed for consultation with local communities" (Union Leader, 1/6).

In response, Bradley said, "Local decision-making is important" (Greenwire, 1/6).

The issue of whether communities have had ample opportunity to comment on the order has been hotly debated around the country. Despite requests from members of Congress, the Society of American Forests and other interested organizations to extend the 60-day public comment period by as much as four months, the USDA Forest Service has refused (Greenwire, 12/23).

According to the Forest Service, "Groups on all sides of the issue have had ample opportunity to comment on the directive, including a three-day extension and more than 200 meetings around the country." The Forest Service add, that it has "only starting work on the regulations, trying to determine key issues, and there will be more opportunities down the line for people of all persuasions to have their say" (Greenwire, 12/23).

Republican presidential candidate John McCain joined the critics of the Forest Service stating, "The idea that Washington knows best and that local residents cannot be trusted to do what's right in their own backyard is the epitome of federal arrogance." McCain vowed to repeal the directive, if elected (Boston Globe Online, 12/23).

According to Arnie Holden, deputy director of planning for the Forest Service in the Northwest Region, the final rule should be issued next fall (AP/Oregonian, 12/1).

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