Bush forest plan blasted by SoCal environmentalists

By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer | Thursday, May 5, 2005 11:13 PM PDT ∞

An environmental group with a large Southern California presence blasted Thursday's decision by the Bush administration to open 58.5 million acres of roadless lands in national forests across the country to potential road-building, logging, mining and motor-vehicle recreation.

The new rules, repealing protections provided by former President Clinton in the waning days of his administration, cover some of the most pristine lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service in 38 states, including California.

"It's a giant step backward for forest protection," said Monica Bond, a biologist with the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, which has a regional office in the Riverside County mountain town of Idyllwild.

Bond said the rule could result in the loss of 17,000 acres of 88,000 acres of roadless areas in the Cleveland National Forest, which sprawls across Riverside, San Diego and Orange counties. She said the change could trigger road-building across two-thirds of 172,000 acres of mostly undisturbed areas within the San Bernardino National Forest in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

"There are a lot of areas that could be opened because of this," Bond said. "Those areas are really important for biodiversity and for people who are trying to get away and enjoy a back-country experience."

Current law prevents forest managers from opening up areas designated as wilderness, such as San Mateo Canyon west of Murrieta, Agua Tibia southeast of Temecula, the San Jacinto Peak area near Idyllwild and San Gorgonio Mountain east of San Bernardino.

However, Bond suggested the rule could pave the way for roads in other areas, such as the Santa Ana Mountains north of Ortega Highway (Highway 74) in Riverside County and on Palomar Mountain in northern San Diego County. As well, the Cedar Creek Falls and San Diego River Gorge area near Ramona, targeted by conservation groups for wilderness designation, potentially could be opened.

Under the new rule, individual states could request that roads be built and other activities be permitted.

However, in California the rule may have little effect. That's because Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vowed Thursday to block any new activity.

"California's forests are one of our state's most treasured and valued resources," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "I am committed to protecting the vibrant health and sustainable future of our forests. In keeping with that commitment and the assurances we have from the U.S. Forest Service, roadless areas in California will remain roadless."

The Bush administration rule overturns an action Clinton took eight days before leaving office in January 2001.

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or ddowney@californian.com.

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