Comment On Roads Extended

Sun., March 15, 1998

The public comment period on a Clinton Administration proposal to temporarily suspend road construction in National Forest roadless areas has been extended to March 30.

The moratorium on road building is proposed to last for no longer than 18 months or until a long term Transportation Policy is approved, whichever comes first, Forest Service officials said.

“Public input is vital to the development of a Transportation Policy that meets the needs of the American people for national forest access, while protecting the environment,” said Robert Joslin, Deputy Chief of National Forest System lands.

He said the Forest Service “simply cannot afford to maintain all the roads we have.”

The Forest Service road system is extensive. An estimated 373,000 miles of authorized roads and an estimated 60,000 miles of unplanned and unmanaged “ghost roads” traverse the 191 million acre National Forest System, officials said.

Public open-house meetings regarding the proposed road building moratorium are scheduled as follows:

Washington

March 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Four Seasons Inn, 11 West Grant Road E., Wenatchee. Contact: Paul Hart, (509) 662-4314.

Idaho

March 19, 1 p.m.-7 p.m., Idaho Panhandle National Forests, 3815 Schreiber Way, Coeur d’Alene. Contact: Brad Gilbert, (208) 765-7438.

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