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Clinton plans to shield more U.S. forest landCompiled from Times wires © St. Petersburg Times, published January 5, 2001 WASHINGTON -- In the biggest land conservation act in decades, President Clinton will approve an order today putting nearly one-third of the national forest land permanently off-limits to future road building and logging. The move, covering more than 58-million acres in 39 states, is to be cast by the White House as a capstone in the president's efforts to protect public lands from development. It would effectively prohibit not only commercial logging but also oil and gas development across an area larger than that covered by the nation's current national parks. And off-road vehicle activity will likely be severely limited in the roadless areas because of their inaccessibility. The president's order is likely to set off furious challenges from Western states and Republican lawmakers who have called the plan hasty and irresponsible. Among opponents who now plan to head to court in a bid to block the effort is Gov. Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho, who with other Westerners has denounced the action as an unwise intrusion into local land-use decisions.
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From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
