Obama administration

Obama Administration Joins Roadless Rule Battle

OMB Watch

Aug 18, 2009

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In an Aug. 13 filing, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reserved its right to appeal a district court ruling and support the 2001 roadless rule that protects millions of acres of forest land. If the district court ruling striking down the rule is allowed to stand, it would conflict with a recent appeals court decision upholding the roadless rule. The administration's support for the roadless rule could bring years of conflict over the rule's status to an end.

Time to Get on the Same Page

Editorial Board, New York Times

Apr 21, 2009

Excerpts:

In 2006, a California district court struck down a weak Bush substitute and reinstated the 2001 Clinton rule. Justice Department lawyers, at the direction of President George Bush’s Forest Service, promptly appealed the ruling to the Ninth Circuit. They’re still appealing it — even though their new boss, Mr. Obama, loves the roadless rule.

Ken Salazar's New Deal

Editorial Board, The New York Times

Feb 6, 2009

Excerpts:

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s first major decision — to cancel oil and gas leases on 77 parcels of public land in Utah — could not have sent a clearer signal that his department is under new management. It also was a strong indication that the Obama administration intends to take a more measured approach to energy exploration on the public lands and that its predecessor’s drill-now, drill-anywhere policies are a thing of the past.

The Obama Administration’s “America’s Great Outdoors” Should Look to Our Wild Lands for Long-Term Benefits

Anonymous

Apr 15, 2010

Wild Lands for Long-Term Benefits The Wilderness Society Offers Constructive and Positive Recommendations to Make Initiative a Success

WASHINGTON – Ahead of the conference on America’s Great Outdoors, The Wilderness Society highlights the valuable role that America’s public lands will play in protecting and restoring our wild areas and waters, while connecting them to the communities they sustain.

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The Wilderness Society calls on Obama administration not to accept Colorado’s proposed roadless rule

Anonymous

Apr 6, 2010

DENVER – In response to the State of Colorado submitting to the Obama administration its proposed rule for governing the country’s unroaded national forests, The Wilderness Society today issued the following statement.

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Report outlines gaps in natural gas industry rhetoric

Anonymous

Feb 23, 2010

A new Wilderness Society economic briefing paper looks at the recent downturn in natural gas drilling and refutes the industry’s claims that it has been hindered by Obama administration environmental policies. Among the report’s findings:

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Department of Interior calls for investigation into oil shale leases

Anonymous

Oct 20, 2009

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior announced today it is calling on the Inspector General to conduct an investigation into an unprecedented deal on oil shale research, development and demonstration (RD&D) leases for a select few companies during the final days of the Bush administration. The Wilderness Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Western Resource Advocates are encouraged by this announcement that should improve the process and accountability of decisions on land leases.

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The Wilderness Society praises momentous speech by Secretary of Agriculture

Anonymous

Aug 14, 2009

SEATTLE – The Wilderness Society today praised U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack after he outlined the Obama administration’s vision for greatly improving the way forests are managed. Following are highlights of Vilsack’s remarks and reaction to those points by The Wilderness Society. All comments are from Mike Anderson, the Seattle-based attorney and senior resource analyst for The Wilderness Society.

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Beginning of the end of attempts to eliminate roadless rule?

Anonymous

Aug 13, 2009

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration today filed a legal appeal in the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Colorado that could mark a pivotal moment in the more than eight-year effort to protect some 58 million acres of pristine national forests. The move is a response to the 2006 ruling by a federal district court judge in Wyoming who invalidated the popular 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

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Coal-Friendly Bush Energy Corridor Plan Challenged

Anonymous

Jul 7, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO – Conservation organizations and a western Colorado county today filed a legal challenge to a Bush-era plan that designated energy corridors that promote coalfired and other fossil-fuel power plants. Instead of building new electric lines and transmission towers to connect areas high in solar, wind and geothermal energy, the Bush plan envisioned building them to existing or proposed dirty coal plants.

Wilderness.org

Obama administration