Utah Environmental Congress:
In The News

Governor Won't Petition to Protect Roadless Land

June 13, 2005

The Associated Press - as printed in The Provo Daily Herald

Salt Lake City - Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. won't petition the federal government to protect Utah's 4 million acres of roadless wilderness areas. 

Huntsman will let the U.S. Forest Service take the lead on roadless issues through a forest management plan revision process already under way in four of the state's six national forests, state public lands policy coordinator Lynn Stevens said.

In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture lifted Clinton-era restrictions that kept about 50 million acres of the nation's roadless forest off-limits to timber sales and energy exploration.  Under the Bush policy, state governors have 18 months to submit petitions to the federal government asking for the continued protection of roadless areas.

"If their management plans meet the requirements of the state, we may not need to have a petition," Stevens said.  "We think most of the state's needs can be met through this process."

Environmental groups say Huntsman's approach is bad news for the state's forests, which compromise the sixth-largest area of roadless forests in the nation.

"It sounds to us like they're going to come up with something that amounts to minimal protection," said Kevin Mueller, an attorney with the Utah Environmental Congress.  "The fewer areas that are petitioned and included for protection, the quicker and easier the process will be.  The less roadless areas, the less hassle."

Stevens says governor's position doesn't mean logging, mining and gas and oil companies are banging down the door seeking entry into Utah's forests.

"We've had no overtures from any industry with regards to greater access," he said.

One timber industry official says economic and regulatory obstacles make it doubtful the forests will ever open up.

"We're not even utilizing the existing roads," said Stephen Steed, co-owner of the Escalante-based Skyline Forest Resources.

But forest management policies change frequently and that could leave Utah's roadless lands vulnerable, said Lisa Smith, director of Save Our Canyons.

"You would hope the governor would see that.  But unfortunately, we're in a time when nothing is impossible when it comes to public lands issues," Smith said.  "This could really open up Pandora's box."

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D2