Forest Service Proposes New Forest Rules - AP

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Forest Service Proposes New Forest Rules

Thursday August 16, 2007 11:31 PM

By MATTHEW DALY

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Forest Service on Thursday proposed
new rules for managing 193 million acres of national forests,
responding to a court ruling that tossed out policies giving
forest managers great discretion to approve logging and other
commercial projects.

The Forest Service said the new rules, to take effect after a
60-day comment period, would make land management plans
more adaptable to changing conditions while ensuring
continued public involvement in the nation's 155 national
forests.

But environmentalists said the Bush administration was again
trying to strip important protections for wildlife and clean
water, despite a court order rejecting the administration's
approach.

“This new effort makes clear that the administration continues
to try to push through favors for its friends in the timber,
mining and oil and gas industries, even as the clock runs out
on its term in office,” said Tim Preso, a lawyer for Earthjustice,
an environmental group whose lawsuit led to a March ruling
throwing out the administration's 2005 rules.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-6855363,00.html

[thunder rising]

1. Here's the deal, you can mine, strip, and peal anything that's not

close to a Bush Pioneers house.

[YankeyMCC]

2. Details here

http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2007/releases/08/rules.shtml