The American public has been Bushwhacked again. On Wednesday June 5th
the Bush administration announces that roadless area protections offered under
the Roadless Area Conservation Rule will stand – withdrawing an interim
directive blocking its full implementation. Four days later, on June 9th,
planned "small revisions" to the roadless plan are announced: including
exempting Alaska's large and important roadless areas from full protection (we
fought hard for their original inclusion) and state governors are given power to
withdraw areas from wilderness protection.

I am just sickened by the extent to which President Bush plays politics with the
environment. This was yet another carefully choreographed environmental
rollback. "The administration is undermining a regulation it never had any
intention of supporting, despite overtones to the contrary." The first
announcement demonstrating roadless protections are too popular to simply
eliminate outright, the second indicating roadless forests will face destruction
through numerous revisions instead. I continue to think that failure to end
protections outright is indicative of the forest conservation movement's
strength. But I acknowledge I fell for the Toxic Texans ploy of appearing to
support environmental protections while systematically dismantling them.
Arghh!!! Despite desperately wanting to believe that President Bush can learn
about and acknowledge the importance of ecological sustainability, I will not be
duped again.