By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County Commissioners sent a letter to President
George W. Bush and to Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman
asking them to overturn the Forest Service Roadless
Rule.
Wm. Boyd Howarth, commission chair, said he was
pleased to sign the letter in behalf of himself, fellow
commissioners, and the taxpayers of the county.
"The Roadless Rule closes tens of thousands of miles
of roads to tourism and multiple-use for millions of
Americans," said Howarth. "The Rule further ignores existing
Forest Plans, the ongoing Forest Plan Revisions and the
administrative and legal process of Forest Planning, NEPA
and the Regulatory Flexibility Act."
In Juab County, wildfires, deadly pest infestations
and the spread of noxious weeds are all problems the
commission deals with on an annual basis. Each of the county
programs designed to deal with these problems will not be
effective if the Roadless Rule is in place.
All will go unchecked under the non-management created
by the Roadless Rule, said Howarth.
"We feel very strongly about this issue," said Robert
Steele, commissioner. "We have been so intent because we
think our county roads and their rights-of-way should be
preserved."
The commission, said Howarth, watched with dismay and
disappointment the almost complete lack of due process the
Clinton Administration used to enact the Forest Service
Roadless Rule.
"State and local governments were denied cooperating
agency and partnership status in this land grab," said
Howarth. "This Rule has resulted in the largest land grab in
the history of the lower 48 states by locking up more than
58 million acres."
As citizens of a rural county in the state of Utah,
Juab County residents are incensed at this unbelievable
lockout crested by the former administration, he said.
Commissioners charged, in their letter, that the drive
by the former administration to put in place the Roadless
Rule was clearly driven by special interest groups.
"The Roadless Rule process did not consider the input
of our county nor the residents of many of the counties and
their citizens across the nation," said Howarth.
He said the lockout severely impacts the economy and
recreation access of Juab County residents and also impacts
millions of Americans in every state of the nation.
"We are seeking to have the Roadless Rule overturned,"
said Steele.
Joseph Bernini, commissioner, said residents of West
Juab County, where Eureka, his home, is located are
resentful of the Roadless Rule.
"As commissioners we have worked to have all of our
roads appear on a comprehensive map of this county," he
said.
"We are asking for the President to please overturn
the Roadless Rule and let us return to a 'free America' with
ready access to and multiple uses of our public lands," said
Howarth. "After all, the public lands belong to all of us
and the need for returning to multiple use has never been
greater than right now."
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