Colorado roadless rule heads to DC for review

Posted by egable on November 17th, 2008 filed in Forests

A federal advisory committee will resume its deliberations of Colorado’s proposed roadless rule this week in Washington, D.C., more than two weeks past the deadline set by the White House for completed federal rulemakings.

Environmentalists and sportsmen are expected to testify against the rule, which they say would open up some of Colorado’s best backcountry to new oil and gas development as well as signficantly increase logging and road-building in areas formerly off limits to industrial development. Among those expected to testify are Colorado Trout Unlimited Director David Nickum, Joel Webster of the Theodore Conservation Partnership and Ken Neubecker of the Colorado Council of Trout Unlimited.

In a letter to Gov. Bill Ritter (D) dated Nov. 13, Trout Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership asked the governor to strengthen the state’s proposed roadless rule before it gains federal approval. The groups said the rule would allow unnecessary and intrusive industrial development in areas that provide critical fish and game habitat, as well as substantial opportunities for fishing and hunting.

Colorado boasts more than 4 million acres of inventoried roadless lands, which provide habitat for deer, elk and other big game animals, as well as stream, lake and river habitat for Rio Grande, greenback and Colorado River cutthroat trout.