BRC's "NO SPIN" on the Roadless Initiative

Submitted by tsm1 on

BlueRibbon Coalition
-by Adena Cook

On May 5, the Final Rule on management of our National Forest System Roadless Areas was released. Subsequent news stories totally misrepresented the intent of the Rule or what it could accomplish. The stories postulated that the Rule would stimulate road-building and timber harvest in these relatively undeveloped areas. In describing these areas, they chose to ignore that our Roadless Areas are where a significant amount of recreation occurs in our National Forests, the importance of that recreation, and how it is crucial that these areas be actively managed to provide for forest health, access and diverse recreation opportunities.

USDA FOREST SERVICE ACTS TO CONSERVE ROADLESS AREAS IN NATIONAL FORESTS

Submitted by tsm1 on

Original Article

USDA FOREST SERVICE ACTS TO CONSERVE ROADLESS AREAS IN NATIONAL FORESTS Announces National Advisory Committee to Help Implement New Rule

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2005 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced a final rule that invites input from state governors in the conservation and management direction for inventoried roadless areas within national forests. This rule will provide environmental benefits and help to ensure that the needs of local communities are considered in roadless area conservation.

"Our actions today advance President Bush's commitment to cooperatively conserve inventoried roadless areas within our national forests," Johanns said. " USDA is committed to working closely with the nation's governors to meet the needs of our local communities while protecting and restoring the health and natural beauty of our national forests."

Petition in Support of Congressional Oversight Hearing on Proposed Gallatin N.F.

Submitted by tsm1 on

Please pass the message to get people to sign on to this petition. The
petition will be autoforwarded to the following on May 31, 2005.
MT Representative Denny Rehberg
MT Senator Conrad Burns
MT Senator Max Baucus
CA Representative Richard Pombo (Chairman of the US House Resources
Committee)

The following is a petition hosted by e-thePeople. If you want to sign
this petition, follow the link at the bottom of this email.

HJ 18 Being Discussed - Friday Feb, 11th

Submitted by WD40 on

From the MWA:
No, we're not members, but we do get their emails.

Here's the text from their email on Thursday, Feb 10th:
A JOINT RESOLUTION IN THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE WOULD URGE CONGRESS TO STOP THE FOREST SERVICE AND BLM FROM CLOSING ROADS ON PUBLIC LANDS.

DON'T LET IT HAPPEN.

******************************************************************************************
Dear Wilderness Supporter:

Representative Dennis Himmelberger (R) Billings has drafted a joint resolution, HJ 18, that would recommend that Congress pass legislation to stop the U.S. Forest Service and the BLM from closing roads on federal lands. For a full text of HJ 18 go to:
http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/2005/billhtml/HJ0018.htm

The House Natural Resources Committee of the Montana Legislature will hear the bill on Friday February 11th at 3 PM in Room 152 of the Capitol Building in Helena.

What can you do?

The Off-Road Vehicle industry is planning a big turnout for this hearing. Conservationists and supporters of Wilderness need to be there in equal force! Montana's public lands need YOU to come to the hearing, or contact the committee members by phone or by email at the Legislative Comment web page.

Urge the members of the Natural Resource Committee to Vote NO! on HJ 18.

Call and leave a message at (406) 444-4800

Send an email to the members through the Legislative comment page:
http://leg.state.mt.us/css/sessions/59th/legwebmessage.asp

Jim Peterson (R) Buffalo Chairman
Jack Ross (R) Absarokee
Chris Harris (D) Bozeman
Norma Bixby (D) Lame Deer
Dee Brown (R) Hungry Horse
Paul Clark (D) Trout Creek
Sue Dickenson (D) Great Falls
George Everett (R) Kalispell
Gail Gutsche (D) Missoula
Ralph Heinert (R) Libby
Larry Jent (D) Bozeman
Llew Jones (R) Conrad
Mike Jopek (D) Whitefish
Carol Lambert (R) Broadus
Ricj Maedje (R) Fortine
Veronica Small-Eastman (D) Lodge Grass
Dave Wanzenreid (D) Missoula

*************************************************************************************
If you can't make the hearing, contact the legislators and let them know that you oppose HJ 18. The hearing is Friday of this week, and they will likely vote on the resolution Monday or Wednesday of next week, so contacts later this week will be important.
If you can only send nine emails, start with the Democratic members of the Committee.

**************************************************************************************
Tell the Committee members that:

* Rehabilitating and closing roads on federal lands is critical to protecting Montana's big game and 5-week elk season.

* Road rehabilitation is vital to our economy - without road rehabilitation Montana's water quality would suffer, damaging fisheries and impairing other uses.

* Road closures are about protecting other values, not about limiting access - being able to drive everywhere limits the options for other users of public lands.
ACT NOW!

Keep it Wild,

The Montana Wilderness Association
Need more information? Contact John Gatchell at jgatchell@wildmontana.org

January 22nd Run to Occidental

Submitted by tsm1 on

January 22nd, 2005 Frontier had their second club run of 2005.

We assembled at County Market around 9am. The Mandera in a Scout II, the LaTulips in the Blazer, the Miskos in a Bronco n' F-pickup, guest Scott Klein his is Dodge 250, and [] Lamping in an Explorer.

By 9:30 we managed to get on the road and headed south on I-15 to take the Jefferson City exit.

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