Bush Fast-Tracked Backcountry Legislation Put On Hold By Colorado Governor

Bush Fast-Tracked Backcountry Legislation Put On Hold By Colorado Governor

But late last week, Harris Sherman, director of the Department of Natural Resources, wrote a letter to the Department of Agriculture to request a delay in finalizing the roadless rule. On Friday, he announced the Bush administration agreed to hold off.

"Gov. Ritter made the right call to ask the Bush administration not to issue its proposed rule regarding Colorado's national forest roadless areas until the rule's serious flaws can be fixed," said Jane Danowitz, U.S. public lands program director for Pew Environment Group.

"With 4.4 million acres of the state's best backcountry on the line, there's no need to rush through a rule that, among other things, would allow roughly 100 new oil and gas leases to move forward in these pristine areas. It's wise to wait."

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