National Forests opened to possible commercial use

The Bush administration opened 58.5 million acres of pristine national forests to possible logging, mining and other commercial uses. The administration's action overturns a Clinton decision to protect the land against development and exploitation. The new rules from the U.S. Forest Service cover land in 38 states and Puerto Rico.

The new rules place more authority in the hands of the states to prevent development in the areas previously off-limits. As CNN reports, under the new rules:

Governors can submit petitions within 18 months to stop road building on some of the 34.3 million acres where it would now be permitted, or request that new forest management plans be written to allow the construction on some of the other 24.2 million acres.

This is a large step backwards for efforts to save our nation’s forest habitats and once again, along with the opening of the Artic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration, further demonstrates the Bush administration’s hostility to environmental concerns.