Press Release

Members of the Western Governors' Association said preserving untamed areas of the nation's forests is important, but the administration's proposal could economically harm many rural Western communities and states with trust lands inside national forests. The governors said partnering with states and stakeholders could avoid harmful, if unintentional, consequences.

During their winter meeting in Las Vegas, the governors agreed to create a work group to make more specific recommendations to the U.S. Forest Service in the next few weeks. The resolution was sponsored by Governors Jane Dee Hull, Ariz.; Jim Geringer, Wyo.; Kenny Guinn, Nev.; William Janklow, S.D.; and Dirk Kempthorne, Idaho.

In October, President Clinton instructed the Forest Service to develop, for public comment, regulations that would provide "appropriate long-term protection" for lands within the National Forest System larger than 5,000 acres that remain largely untouched by human intervention.

"Because most forest roads in the West are more than three miles apart, nearly all areas between these roads would meet the 5,000 acres or more criteria for including in the 'roadless inventory,'" the resolution states. "The potential impact of this policy on financial resources and recreational opportunities for smaller Western towns and school districts, who depend upon the multiple use of the National Forest lands for their economic survival could be disastrous. The policy may also preclude management activities that are important to maintaining or restoring the health of the ecosystem."

National forests include thousands of acres of state endowment or trust lands. The governors said a potential significant and unintended consequence of the policy would be the "land-locking" of these revenue-producing state lands, which would negatively impact education funding.

The governors were critical of the Clinton Administration for failing to acknowledge that "many Western governors, and the stakeholders in their states, have engaged in lengthy and costly resource planning processes related to the public lands, and especially the National Forests, within their states."

The governors said the administration's initial approach is usurping a time-proven and public-driven planning process by not giving consideration to efforts already underway that involve stakeholders. The governors have widely endorsed consensus-based efforts under an environmental management initiative they call Enlibra.

"The vision behind this policy is centered on, among other principles, the belief that we as a nation are more likely to meet national environmental standards with locally developed solutions based on sound science, collaborative and inclusive process and by incorporating economic incentives whenever appropriate," the resolution states. "Western governors are committed to the principles of Enlibra and pledge to engage the Administration with the spirit of collaboration in order to design the best courses of action for the health of the land and for the socioeconomic and ecological interests of the people of the West."

Background information on the Enlibra doctrine is available on the WGA Web site . The governors adopted nine resolutions in all. They will be posted on the Web site on Monday, Dec. 6. The resolutions are:

• Reform of the National Employment Security System - Gov. Hull
• Roadless Areas on National Forest Lands - Govs. Hull, Geringer, Guinn, Janklow and Kempthorne
• EPA's Implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act and the Impact on Farmers - Govs. Ed Schafer, N.D. and Geringer
• OSHA's Proposed Ergonomics Program Standards - Gov. Gary Johnson, N.M.
• Declaring the Year 2000 as the "Year of State Parks" - Gov. Bill Owens, Colo.
• Supporting American Shipyards - Gov. Carl Gutierrez, Guam, and Gov. Ben Cayetano, Hawaii
• National Universal Service Fund for All High-cost Telecommunications Customers - Gov. Geringer
• National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulation - Gov. Johnson
• Improving the Safety of NRCS Watershed Dams - Gov. Guinn

The Western Governors' Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 18 states, two territories and one commonwealth. Through their association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management.

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