BILL REQ. #:  S-4204.1 

Read first time 01/13/2006.   Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Washington state contains over nine million acres of national forest land; and
     WHEREAS, Washington state has an interest in preserving, protecting, and perpetuating the wildlife and fish resources of the state and in protecting the quality and quantity of water resources within the state; and
     WHEREAS, On January 12, 2001, the Department of Agriculture adopted regulations, hereafter known as the 2001 roadless rule, generally prohibiting road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvest on certain national forest lands, known as inventoried roadless areas, because of the likelihood such activities would impact resources that provide such values as clean drinking water and habitat for threatened and endangered species; and
     WHEREAS, Washington state contains a total of roughly two million acres of inventoried roadless areas in the Olympic, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie, Gifford Pinchot, Wenatchee, Okanogan, Colville, and Umatilla National Forests; and
     WHEREAS, On May 13, 2005, the protections for inventoried roadless areas adopted in 2001 were repealed and replaced by a process under which individual states may petition the Secretary of Agriculture to adopt requirements for the management of all, or any portion of, inventoried roadless areas within the state; and
     WHEREAS, The petition process adopted by the Department of Agriculture requires that all petitions be submitted by November 13, 2006, and that such petitions include analysis of the impacts of present and recommended federal land management practices on states and state policies, including effects on state conservation policies and fish and wildlife resources; and
     WHEREAS, On November 1, 2005, the Governor of the state of Washington requested that the Secretary of Agriculture create a streamlined process by which states can opt to retain the protections of the 2001 roadless rule for inventoried roadless areas within the state. Such a process would simplify the protection of inventoried roadless areas and save administrative costs to both states and the federal government;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the federal government, by legislation or by regulation, either reinstate the protections of the 2001 roadless rule for all inventoried roadless areas or adopt a streamlined process by which states can opt to retain the protections of the 2001 roadless rule for inventoried roadless areas within their boundaries.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.