NATIONAL FORESTS

Roadless Backers - and Some Detractors - Turn out for Task Force

By David Frey, 6-22-06

Hundreds of people turned out in Glenwood Springs on Wednesday, mostly to voice their support of roadless areas, as a state task force met at the Hotel Colorado to consider the future of broad tracts of the White River National Forest that have remained free from roads but have lost federal protections to keep them that way.

"I think it's very important that we leave the roadless areas roadless," said Jeff Mead, a Grand Junction outfitter who leads hunters into the Mamm Peak roadless area south of Rifle. "That's what draws a lot of people to the state -- for recreation. That's why a lot of people stay here in this state."

Some 640,000 acres on the White River National Forest could be affected by the loss of roadless protections. Home to many of the state's most popular ski areas, it is considered the most-visited national forest in the state. Some 4.4 million acres are at stake statewide. Environmentalists worry local roadless areas could be further jeopardized by the expansion of the natural gas industry.

The Clinton administration had put in place protections to keep areas designated as roadless free of new construction. The Bush administration revoked those protections, but offered to consider allowing protections for specific areas.

Gov. Bill Owens formed the bipartisan Roadless Area Review Task Force last year to consider the state's national forests one by one. The task force includes Glenwood Springs conservationist Steve Smith, of the Wilderness Society; and Jim Lochhead, also of Glenwood Springs, former head of the state Department of Natural Resources, and it's headed by current Department of Natural Resources Director Russell George, of Rifle. The group will make recommendations to Owens, who will in turn make recommendations to Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey.

The final round of meetings takes place today in Grand Junction.

Not everyone turned out in support of roadless areas. Dennis Larratt, chairman of the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition, was among those who received applause from a core group of supporters when he urged the task force to eliminate the protections and allow the Forest Service to control roads using traditional regulations. A handful of attendees showed up wearing orange "Multi-use" stickers.

"The roadless rule takes power away from the local authorities and gives it to the higher authorities who are further away from the situation," said Shane Porter, of New Castle. "I think that should be taken into consideration."

Arapaho Basin ski area's Alan Henceroth spoke for the industry group Colorado Ski Country USA, urging the task force to remove roadless protections from areas where ski resorts exist or are allowed to expand.

"It's confusing and contradictory and it serves no purpose other than controversy," he said.

But the majority of the over 200 people who turned out favored roadless protections, many of them wearing green "Roadless Yes" stickers. Across the street, the environmental group Wilderness Workshop dished out cones of "rocky roadless" ice cream.

Environmentalists found themselves siding with the Aspen Board of Realtors, the Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce, Pitkin County, Summit County and town councils from Aspen to Silt, who all called for roadless protections. Rifle was expected to take up a similar measure Wednesday night.

"Strange bedfellows," Carbondale Mayor Michael Hassig, who spoke for the coalition of towns, said in an interview with me for the Aspen Daily News. "But here, all of the jurisdictions recognize that the long-term environmental, ecological and economic sustainability of these communities is dependent on the preservation of these roadless areas."

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