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BREAKING NEWS: Bush's National Forest Planning Rules Thrown Out By Federal Judge
March 30, 2007 3:06 PM
The Bush administration violated federal environmental laws when wrote new rules governing America's National Forests. It is unclear what today's ruling means for the Pike San Isabel National Forest and Cimmarron and Commanche National Grasslands. A new plan for the grasslands is in it's final phase, it is the first in the nation written under the new rules. Efforts to re-write the plan for the Pike San Isabel were launched last December, it is in the very preliminary phase.
Each one of America's 155 National Forests are supposed to write new comprehensive plans every 10 years. They govern everything from how many trees can be cut, to public access and wildlife habitat. In 2005, the Bush administration modified the rules for writing Forest Plans. It substituted planning practices more common in the corporate world.
Four national environmental groups, led by the Defenders of Wildlife, immediately sued. They charged that the administration failed to perform a biological analysis of the impact of the new rules, and that it failed to properly notify the public of the rule changes. Today a U.S. District Court judge in California agreed, and says the new rules cant be used.
The ruling throws into limbo some 40 national forest plans currently being written across the country.
Tune in to KRCC this evening at 5:30 to hear more.
Posted by Eric Whitney on March 30, 2007 3:06 PM | Permalink
