Colorado's Pristine Forests at Risk

Colorado conservation organizations are urging the Obama administration to forego a state rulemaking for national forests that would leave Colorado's national forest roadless areas less protected than those in other states. Although the Obama administration called a "time out" on activity in roadless areas on May 28, the U.S. Forest Service and state continue to pursue a proposal that is considerably less protective than the 2001 Rule, with major exemptions for coal mining and oil & gas drilling.

• Download a copy of a coalition ad running in The Denver Post (PDF)
• Poll finds that Coloradoans strongly in favor of protecting undeveloped national forests from oil and gas production
• View the Administration's proposed rule for Colorado
• For more information on Colorado's roadless areas, please visit www.Roadless.net

"Time Out" on New Activity in Undeveloped National Forests

The Obama administration has called for a time out on new activity in areas protected under the popular 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects roughly 60 million acres of undeveloped national forests. Currently, the rule's legal status is uncertain. Pew and its allies urge the administration to take swift action to reinstate the roadless rule.

• Read a statement from the Pew Environment Group
• Read the U.S. Department of Agriculture's press release
• Visit the Heritage Forest Campaign's Time Out! website

More Forest News

Supported by millions of Americans, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects more than 58 million acres of America's wild forests for generations to enjoy.

Learn more about the importance of roadless areas across America

  • The Roadless Rule
  • The benefits of roadless areas
  • Attempts to undermine the rule

They're OUR National Forests. Will the logging and mining interests get the last piece of the pie?

(Click here to see a full-sized pie chart showing how much of our national forests are in limbo.)

Recreation interests call for stronger roadless protection
Summit Daily News
June 24, 2009

Groups turn up pressure on roadless forest plan
Examiner
June 19, 2009

Career forester named US Forest Service chief
Associated Press
June 18, 2009

Obama administration tacitly backing Bush environmental policies
Boston Herald
June 17, 2009

Judge Won't Reconsider 'Roadless Rule' Order
CBS 4 Denver
June 16, 2009

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