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Codifying "Roadless" Rep. Jay Inslee's (D-Washington) proposal to enact by statute the substance of the Clinton administration's "Roadless Initiative" died on the House floor on July 17, during debate on the Interior Appropriations bill. In the end, Rep. Inslee withdrew his proposed amendment to the bill, which would have codified the provisions, when it became clear that support for the amendment was shaky at best, although the amendment's backers attribute the withdrawal to "House rules." Other observers take the view that House Democrats were not eager to go on record in support of withdrawing management from 60 million federal acres while the progress of forest fires throughout the West was making daily headlines. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and six co-sponsors have introduced a similar bill in the Senate, although due to "time constraints" the bill's supporters, such as the Wilderness Society, expressed pessimism that any such bill would pass during this legislative session. It is clear that they are hoping to revive the proposal in the next congress. However, by then the Bush administration's interpretation of the Clinton-era rule will have been promulgated, and -- depending on the form that policy takes -- support for a legislative response will probably have softened. Return to Public Policy Archive Forest Resources Association
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