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The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement on a plan submitted by Gov. Bill Ritter (D) that was written by a state task force established by former Gov. Bill Owens (R).

The proposal would keep about 4.1 million acres of roadless areas, including the Uncompahgre Plateau, Battlement Mesa and the Flat Tops, off-limits to development. Exceptions would be allowed for logging to prevent wildfires and fight bark-beetle infestations and to allow four coal mines in western Colorado to continue operating.

Environmentalists and hunting and fishing groups want Colorado to withdraw the plan, saying it doesn't offer as much protection as the Clinton administration's 2001 roadless rule, which granted blanket protection to 58 million acres of federal land nationwide.

The Bush administration overturned the 2001 rule, prompting a state-by-state process for determining which roadless areas should be protected that allowed states to petition the Agriculture Department. But a federal district court in California and the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the Bush administration's plan, reinstating the strict 2001 roadless rule as the law of the land.

The Colorado rule would effectively remove the state from the legal feud over strict prohibitions against new roads and other developments in federal roadless areas. Only Colorado and Idaho are continuing with the process to establish unique roadless protections, while other states are relying on tighter restrictions to be upheld in federal court.

The Colorado rule would permanently remove protections from about 300,000 acres of roadless areas and weaken protections for the remaining 4.1 million acres, according to environmental groups.

In a letter this summer to the federal Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee, a coalition of 15 environmental groups expressed concern that the Colorado rule could potentially open up roadless areas to more roads and timber harvest in conjunction with vegetation management, oil and gas development, grazing-related activities, water development, ski area expansion and coal mining.

The groups noted that the federal government has sold 93 oil and gas leases affecting 87,000 acres of Colorado roadless areas since Jan. 12, 2001. The leases could allow roadbuilding in roadless areas if the 2001 roadless rule is no longer in effect.

Environmentalists' other major concerns with the state of Colorado's petition include:

• Removal of the small-diameter limit for timber cutting, sale or removal, which could allow logging of old-growth or other large trees.

• Removal of roadless portions of potential ski areas from the roadless inventory.

• Allowance of roadbuilding across almost 75,000 acres of roadless land with underlying coal.

• Allowance of new roads for activities associated with livestock grazing.

• Allowance of roadbuilding for current and future water projects and utility corridors.

"We're just very concerned that some of the wildest parts of Colorado's forests would lose significant protection," said Amy Mall of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "There's no reason to weaken protections at this point."

"The Bush administration should be supporting what Coloradans have requested time and time again -- that is, to protect all the state's roadless areas," added Ryan Bidwell of Colorado Wild. "The proposed rule falls short of those demands."

Matt Garrington of Environment Colorado noted that Colorado's roadless forests provide backcountry and recreational opportunities that support tourism and local economies. "Our roadless forests deserve the strongest protection possible to protect our natural heritage and Western way of life," he said.

Paul Orbuch, an assistant director for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, said the proposal was intended as sort of an insurance policy in case the 2001 rule is thrown out in court again. "We thought having this as a backup would be a good plan," he said.

However, according to Forest Service officials, the plan would take effect regardless of whether the Clinton rule stays in place. "As far as the 2001 rule, that wouldn't apply to Colorado if this was established," said Kathy Kurtz, a Forest Service staff member who leads the state roadless interdisciplinary team.

The rulemaking process for the Colorado rule began when Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Rey accepted Colorado's petition to pursue a state-specific rule in August (Land Letter, Sept. 13, 2007). As part of the rulemaking process, the Forest Service will release a proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement, expected this summer, before issuing a final rule and record of decision.

The deadline for submitting public comments concerning the scope of the Colorado analysis is Feb. 25. The public will have another opportunity to comment when the draft rule is released.

Click here for the Forest Service's notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

Gable is an independent energy and environmental writer in Woodland Park, Colo.