Governor Ritter Bends to Pressure from Washington D.C. Wilderness Lobby
Demands Forest Service re-open Colorado’s Roadless Management Process
Action Needed Today!
Dear Friend,
I am writing to you on two very important issues; the need to respond to proposed dangerous revisions to the rule, and to provide financial assistance to the Coalition so that we can continue to protect public access and keep you informed of critical issues so that you can make your voice heard
The last time we sent you a letter about the “Roadless” issue in Colorado, we explained that the Colorado legislature had a Task Force to conduct a statewide process to develop recommendations for managing Colorado’s 4.5 million acres of “Roadless” lands.
To the State’s credit, and also because you and thousands of other OHV users attended meetings and sent comments, resulted in common-sense and rational management guidelines for these prized recreation lands.
Sadly, the Wilderness lobby in Washington D.C. has convinced Governor Ritter to ask for changes to those recommendations.
Governor Ritter has asked the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to consider new proposals pushed by Washington D.C.-based Wilderness activists. The DNR is allowing only 60 days for public comment on these changes…. WE NEED YOUR HELP!
COMMENT DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 3, 2009
It makes no difference that the proposed Colorado Rule was the product of the Colorado General Assembly’s legislation that created the Roadless Task Force and had huge bi-partisan support. It makes no difference that the anti-access groups were well represented on the Task Force. They now want to cut and run despite Judge Brimmer’s decision in Wyoming declaring the Clinton Rule in violation of NEPA and permanently enjoining it.
Not only is access to over 4 million acres of Forest Service Roadless Areas at stake, many critical economic uses are being targeted despite the recommendations of the Task Force.
We desperately need as many comments as possible opposing these changes. We also need calls to Governor Ritter’s office. We’ve tried to make it as easy as it can be for you to help. Enclosed is a pre-printed comment letter and instructions for commenting via email. Calling and e-mailing instructions are below this message.
Please take action today!
Glenn Graham
Chairman, Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition
PS: Help COHVCO not let Governor Ritter toss out Colorado-based solutions for the demands of the special interest Wilderness Lobby. Please act today!
What you need to do:
Convey to the Governor the following talking points:
- I want the Governor to know that I strongly oppose his decision to open up the Colorado Roadless process for potential changes that that create greater risk of damage to public and private property with a corresponding loss of recreational opportunities.
- Allowing last minute changes by powerful special interest groups is a slap in the face to the tens of thousands who provided detailed comment via the statewide planning process.
- I want the Governor to know that I strongly support the Colorado-based solutions contained in the proposed Colorado Roadless Rule that balance the public safety and recreational access with the protection of the land.
There are three ways to get your message to the Governor:
- Email your comments to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources at: Roadless.Comments@state.co.us
- Or you can mail the enclosed comment form.
- Call Governor Ritter’s office at (303) 866-2471;
In either case, be sure to identify yourself and add a bit of personal information.
REMEMBER, COMMENT DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 3, 2009
SAMPLE LETTER TO CUT AND PASTE
To: Roadless Rule Comments
To: Colorado Department of Natural Resources
To: 1313 Sherman Street, Room 718
To: Denver, CO 80203
My family and I regularly visit “Roadless” areas throughout the state of Colorado. We enjoy various recreational uses, including Off-Highway Vehicle use, on the roads, trails and snowmobile areas within these lands.
I am writing regarding the current proposed revisions to the Colorado Roadless rulemaking process. Please incorporate these comments into the official record:
- I support the current Colorado Roadless Rule and strongly oppose any of the US Forest Service and Governor’s revisions.
- The Colorado Department of Natural Resources should support locally-based decision-making. The proposed Colorado Roadless Rule is based upon the Colorado petition which was a result of numerous public meetings and over 40,000 comments. Considering changes at this late date indicates wealthy special interests are attempting to improperly influence this process.
- Resources in National Forests are important to our economy and our national security. Where appropriate, these resources should be developed. The original Colorado petition struck a good balance between use of the resources and protecting the forest.
- The Task Force Recommendations and the Proposed Rule provided reasonable limits on temporary roads needed to fight fire, treat insect or disease epidemics, lower fuel loads and protect municipal water supplies and private property. The proposed revisions on the other hand, severely limit temporary roads needed for forest health to as little as one half mile. Fire knows no artificial boundary and in addition to destroying hunting, fishing and other critical recreational activities in CO Roadless Areas (CRAs), it is certain under the new constraints to jeopardize millions of acres of multiple use lands. Any exceptions to these hard and fast anti-access measures are merely targets for litigation and obstacles to protecting both public and private property.
- The Task Force recommendations and the proposed Rule allowed existing recreational access roads to be managed by the Forest Service. Since semi-primitive motorized and semi-primitive non-motorized trails are characteristics of CRAs, it makes little sense to change their management. Trails are some of the most popular recreational activities in Colorado, but are of little value without some reasonable means of reaching them.
- It is important to point out that a “Roadless Area” was never meant to be a “stand-alone” management designation. Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) are, in fact, the first step in the Wilderness inventory and review process that is mandated by agency regulations each time a National Forest revises its Forest Plan. Their boundaries are determined solely on the presence or absence of major, maintained roads. No consideration to geologic boundaries, management considerations, low-grade roads and recreational trails, or other resource uses are made when a National Forest determines Roadless Area boundaries.
Recreational access roads should be managed by the Forest Service and not the Rule, as was the case in the Task Force Recommendation and Proposed Rule.
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