Montrose County Commissioners voiced their opposition to the Roadless Rule and the alternative put forward by the Forest Service at their meeting yesterday. The Commissioners opposed the current Roadless Rule, which conserves 4.2 million acres of Roadless areas in eight national forests. A roadless area is defined as at least 5,000 acres of undeveloped land with unique characteristics like highly scenic landscapes and sacred areas. [read the definitions here] The Roadless Rule was opposed by many residents of Colorado, and the Forest Service has put forward an alternative which returns to the roadless rules that were in place in 2001. The county also opposed the alternative, saying what they would like to see is the third alternative, which returns management of roadless areas to the local forest service offices.

Read more about the Roadless Rule, as well as the comments that were sent in about the new rule last year here.