November 2004 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture?s Forest Service announced on Sept. 8, 2004, the extension of a public comment period for a proposed rule on protecting roadless values in national forests and grasslands by an additional 60 days.
The original comment period was to have ended on Sept. 14, 2004. Comments must now be received in writing by Nov. 15, 2004.
On July 16, the Forest Service published a proposed rule to revise regulations concerning the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, published on Jan. 12, 2001. The proposed rule would allow governors to petition the secretary of agriculture to establish or adjust management direction that exists in forest plans for inventoried roadless areas within their state.
Until the new rule is publicized, the interim directive to conserve inventoried roadless areas remains in effect.
The proposed rule is available at www.roadless.fs.fed.uson the Internet.