Number: 1980-27
WHEREAS, between 1977 and 1979 the Forest Service conducted a review called RARE II (the second Roadless Area Review and Evaluation) of the remaining roadless acreage in the National Forest System in order to determine which areas to recommend to Congress for wilderness, which areas to plan for non-wilderness and which areas to study further for wilderness suitability; and
WHEREAS, the Administration and the Forest Service sent a recommendation to Congress for about 15.4 million acres for wilderness, 36 million for non-wilderness, and another 10.6 million for further study; and
WHEREAS, Congress is now considering these recommendations on a case-by-case basis, allowing citizens and the relevant committees the opportunity for carefully scrutiny of boundary modifications, resource trade-offs and special management provisions for individual areas; and
WHEREAS, some members of Congress have introduced legislation which would mandate permanent Forest Service management of all the RARE II areas recommended for non-wilderness for multiple-use other than wilderness “notwithstanding any other provision of law”; and
WHEREAS, this legislation would also set timetables for Congressional review of areas recommended for wilderness and of areas placed in further study, with multiple-use other than wilderness permanently mandated if Congress fails to act on the recommendations within the times specified; and
WHEREAS, these provisions undercut and circumvent the regular Forest Service land use planning process established by the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of 1960 and the Resources Planning Act of 1974; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 20-23, 1980, in Miami Beach, Fla., hereby reaffirms its support of principles of close and careful review of wilderness proposals, including, coordination between state affiliates and NWF staff, special attention to boundaries and to possible conflicts between wilderness and non-commodity multiple uses like wildlife management representation of areas of varied land form ecosystem and unique plant and animal life, and ample opportunity for public involvement, all of which would be impaired by proposed legislation setting Congressional timetables and mandating non-wilderness for RARE II recommendations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization opposes the instant legislative commitment of all RARE II areas recommended for non-wilderness to permanent non-wilderness management and also opposes the short (4-5 year) timetable for Congress to review areas recommended for wilderness, with the automatic lapse to non-wilderness if action is not taken.