Rocky Mountain Media Grok

Roadless Debate Continues, Tug-of-War Far From Over

By Courtney Lowery, 9-25-06

The tug-of-war on the Roadless Rule on national forests is just beginning after last week's ruling that reinstates the Clinton-era policy and nullifies the Bush plan to hand protection over to the states. Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey said the government will comply with the ruling -- but if states still want to petition, the agency will consider amending the reinstated rule for individual management plans. Rey told the AP's Judith Kohler, "If a state is interested, we'll continue to write a state-specific rule." Meanwhile, western newspapers took the opportunity this weekend to weigh in on the ruling and the rule itself, the Rocky Mountain News writing an editorial saying, "Coloradans know better than bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., how the state's roadless Forest Service land should be managed" and that's why the editorial "we" at the News was happy with the Bush plan to begin with. The Idaho Mountain Press and Guide on the other hand, weighed in saying the ruling was yet another setback for the Bush administration and it came in good time for Idaho, because" there's no indication either that Gov. Risch gave a second thought to environmental damage, as he was prepared to recommend removing protections of chunks of Idaho twice the size of the state of Connecticut." Risch already submitted Idaho's petition last week -- the same day the ruling was handed down. And, the Seattle Times today said, "The court victory is a win for the tenacity of Western states..." and it will protect taxpayers as well as the environment.

Rex Remmel, the owner of the 100 farm-raised that escaped this summer in Idaho prompting an emergency hunt called by Gov. Jim Risch, tells the AP's Jesse Harlan Alderman that he'll continue his fight with the government, even saying he might just run for governor against Risch. He tells Alderman, "When people tell my story, it'd read like a novel. It's like I've gotten on the wrong side of the mafia." Meanwhile, in neighboring Wyoming, Gov. Dave Freudenthal is blasting the Park Service for not making more of an effort to help solve the escaped elk problem.

Elsewhere, Freudenthal is asking the state's congressional delegation for some help protecting the Red Desert area from energy exploration. Freudenthal wants congressional support on a a voluntary lease-buyback program in the Jack Morrow Hills.

It's Utah's turn to debate impact fees for school districts. As Cathy McKitrick reports for the Salt Lake Tribune, city officials are asking the Legislature if they can go for impact fees on new homes to bring in some money for state schools -- which are at the bottom of the nation for per-pupil funding. City leaders say building up the education infrastructure is just like sewer or water and there are already impact fees for that. But, Realtors call the fees "highly unfair" to homebuyers.

Speaking of Realtors in Utah, the group is making headlines today for its political power. Rebecca Walsh reports for the Tribune that "At one time a nonentity in state politics, the Utah Association of Realtors has become an undeniable force in state elections and lawmaking over the past decade. And cash appears to be key to the group's success."

There’s transitory news aplenty in Wyoming, but there are also powerful narratives of faith, hope, and and memory in Wyoming newspapers today and this past week.

And in the pages of the Casper Star Tribune, there’s a trifecta of stories about our National Park Service, such as what to do about bioprospecting, the centennial for Devils Tower and a pathways plan in the Grand Teton National Park that will delight mountain bikers – until they run into a bear or mountain lion.

Wyoming correspondent Brodie Farquhar contributed to grok today.

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