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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Risch: 9th Circuit considering Idaho’s roadless plan

A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals held a hearing today in Portland on Idaho's state roadless plan; Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, who attended the hearing, said a decision will follow in the coming months. Risch wrote the Idaho plan in 2006 when he was the state's governor; it was the only state-created roadless plan, with the rest of the nation falling under a national rule. The plan, developed through a collaborative process involving various interests, lays out differing management plans for specific tracts within the 9.3 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in Idaho.

The plan was upheld by a federal district judge in 2011, but that decision was appealed to the 9th Circuit. Click below for Risch's full news release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           

November 9, 2012                                                                                              

 

 

IDAHO ROADLESS RULE CASE HEARD

 

NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS HEARS CASE IN PORTLAND

 

Boise, Idaho – The nation’s only successfully state-created roadless plan was heard today by a three judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Portland, Oregon.

U.S. Senator Jim Risch attended the hearing on the plan he created as governor in 2006.  The collaborative effort led by Risch included county commissioners, tribes, timber companies, hunters and environmental and recreational groups that resulted in the creation of different management plans for various tracts within the 9.3 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in Idaho. 

“As governor, I saw the need for the different Idaho groups to sit down and come up with our own plan.  The federally-mandated one size fits all approach did not work, and we had an opportunity to craft a plan with people who truly knew the state,” said Risch.  “Working with groups like the Idaho Conservation League and Trout Unlimited, along with loggers, off-road users and other stakeholders, we crafted the only state plan in the nation that protects our land and helps rural communities.”

In 2011, a federal district judge upheld the Idaho Roadless Rule and the decision was appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Following today’s hearing the panel will render their decision in the coming months.

 

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Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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