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LAST CHANCE TO COMMENT ON THE COLORADO ROADLESS RULE
THE DEADLINE IS JULY 14, 2011

After nearly a decade of protection under the National Roadless Rule, Colorado's forests could soon be managed to a weaker standard. While the Obama administration has pledged to craft a Colorado Roadless Rule that is "as protective or preferably more protective" than the National Roadless Rule, the draft proposal still falls short of meeting that commitment.  The current rule would allow oil and gas development, pipelines, "temporary" roads, and transmission lines in roadless areas, unlike the national or 2001 rule which has provided a way to at least stave off development of Thompson Divide lands in the past.

Additional changes are needed to ensure protection of areas we all cherish – areas like Thompson Creek, Red Mountain, Hay Park, Grizzly Creek, Clear Fork and Basalt Mountain. This is our last chance to help make the final rule one that truly protects our local lands for their wildlife, watershed, recreation and other values.

Please feel free to change the wording below to tell the Forest Service that our roadless areas deserve better protection.
 
_____________________________________________________________
Colorado Roadless Rule/EIS
P.O. Box 1919
Sacramento, CA95812
Via email: COComments@fsroadless.org 

Dear Land Managers:

The Final Colorado Roadless Rule needs stronger restrictions on logging and road construction in roadless areas. The maximum distance allowed for road construction for fuel reduction should be no more than one-quarter mile from roadless boundaries.

I support expanding the acreage in the Upper Tier and increasing protection of Upper Tier areas. The Forest Service should combine Alternative 4 Upper Tier lands with Alternative 2 Upper Tier lands to create meaningful protection for most of Colorado’s Roadless Areas.

Two loopholes in Upper Tier protections must be eliminated. First, all upper tier lands should have NSO stipulations for future oil and gas leases that cannot be waived, modified, or excepted.  Second, all linear construction zones should be prohibited in Upper Tier lands other than for valid and existing rights.

The Forest Service should consider invalidating or appropriately stipulating gap leases to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act. Any final environmental analysis must consider the impacts of invalidating gap leases.

To comply with agency regulations and other laws, any final rule must require that gap leases issued without appropriate stipulations will be invalidated or brought into compliance when the 2001 Rule is upheld.

The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management must take affirmative steps to ensure that leases issued in roadless areas after the 2001 Roadless Rule are not developed in violation of that Rule.

The Forest Service should not give the impression that illegal gap leases will be grandfathered by a new Colorado Roadless Rule.

A Colorado Rule must be as protective of endangered species and their habitat as the 2001 Roadless Rule. 

Sincerely,  
your name

_____________________________________________________________
 
Thank you for your support!

For more information:

970/355-4223
info@savethompsondivide.org

 


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