GOP Senators Blast Clinton's
Forest Decree; Dems Defend It

WASHINGTON — Angry Republican senators, accusing President Clinton of trying to bypass Congress in the designation of U.S. wilderness areas, are hitting a new land-protection directive as an example of the administration's disregard of the West.

``We're talking about a flimflam game,'' a table-pounding Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., said last week at a hearing on Clinton's directive to "protect" 50 million acres of roadless forests.

Burns and other GOP Senators argued that the Forest Service's efforts to lock away undeveloped land would more than double the country's wilderness area through executive regulations, without congressional approval required for formal designation.

``From Day One of this administration, a war of politics, rhetoric and administrative actions has been waged on the West,'' Burns said.

Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman defended the administration action, denying that it would eliminate logging on Forest Service land or recreational access. Agency officials are collecting comment now for regulations, which are scheduled for completion next fall.

About 35 million acres of wilderness is designated across the country. Clinton signed his executive order to the Forest Service last month to put another 40 million roadless acres off-limits to development through regulations. Environmental activists praised the directive as rivaling creation of the national forest system.

Administration officials told lawmakers the land considered for more protection actually totals about 50 million acres.

Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., said the proposal would hurt recreational opportunities for snowmobilers, mountain bikers and off-road motorcyclists. He said it also would hurt communities losing the timber industry without replacing jobs eliminated.

``You can't blame them for feeling like they've been socked in the gut, only to be kicked in the head,'' he said.

Glickman, a former Democratic congressman from Kansas whose agency oversees the Forest Service, denied trying to circumvent Congress. Agency officials will hold hearings in the next year near every forest where roadless areas are being considered for greater protection, he said.

``Indeed, the department's proposal does not shut down the timber program, and it is far from being a back door to advocate zero harvesting on our national forests, which would be a very serious mistake,'' he said.

Roadless federal land contains some of the most desirable timber owned by the Forest Service.

Administration officials countered that only five percent of the country's timber comes from national forests, and only five percent of that comes from roadless areas, so the timber industry would not suffer.

Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, accused Clinton of failing to understand how to protect roadless areas. He said Clinton hasn't proposed one acre for wilderness designation during seven years in office.

Republicans also said Clinton's proposal would restrict access to national forests. Only two percent of the 859 million visits to national forests last year were to wilderness areas, lawmakers said.

``Robin Hood and his gang enjoyed greater freedom in Sherwood Forest than our citizens will have on their own lands under this particular proposal,'' said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

Glickman denied trying to restrict access to the land. When published next fall, the regulations could range from wilderness prohibitions against any development or vehicles to allowing snowmobiles and dune buggies in some areas, said Mike Dombeck, Forest Service chief.

``No matter what the Congress passes, this administration writes its own policy,'' said Rep. Helen Chenoweth-Hage, R-Idaho. ``It borders on, if not embraces, tyranny.

``This administration has gone out of its way to mislead Congress,'' she continued. ``This administration is driving the American people to serfdom.''

Clinton administration officials ``want to prohibit any and all activity in our national forests,'' added Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz.

House Democrats hewed to the party line, defending their man in the White House.

``Every dollar spent on new roads takes a dollar away from maintaining existing ones,'' said Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash. ``It's like saying you're going to build a new room on the house while the roof's caving in.''

Republicans, however, pointed out that estimates of the land involved have ranged wildly from 40 million to 60 million acres. They accused Clinton of making the proposal to help the presidential prospects of Vice President Al Gore.

Even those charged with carrying out Clinton's decree don't know what it includes.

Agency officials have spent the last month scrambling to make a list of the roadless acreage under their care and to understand what areas qualify as ``roadless,'' said Olleke Rappe-Daniels, a spokesman at the Forest Service's regional office in Missoula.

With Montana and northern Idaho accounting for about one-fifth of the country's roadless forest area, it is no mean feat for area foresters.

``It has been difficult to tell people exactly which pieces of land could be affected,'' Rappe-Daniels said.

Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck has proposed a rule which would immediately restrict road construction, timber cutting and other development in areas identified as roadless in forest management plans. National rules for managing the roadless areas would come later.