Wyoming Conservationists Concerned About Roadless Rule Change

Laramie, Wy – The Bush Administration has proposed replacing the Roadless Rule. That was a policy President Clinton put in place barring development in parts of National Forests. In Wyoming there are about three million acres of land that was classified as roadless. This is about five percent of the state. Those forests are now open to development unless the governor appeals to protect them.
The Biodiversity Conservation Alliance's Jeff Kessler says this means some wilderness areas will be converted to industrial landscapes and the wilderness that many people in the state enjoy could be threatened along with 90 public water supplies.
Kessler says this is an example of the Bush administration supporting the interests of logging companies rather than the millions of people who vocally support conserving forests and wildlife habitat.