by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

California tried to work in “good faith” with the Bush Administration and received “assurances” from the U.S. Forest Service that the state’s concerns about protecting forest and wildland areas would be protected under the “Roadlesss Rule.” Late Friday, Governor Schwarzenegger released a series of letters http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/7100/ and a new strongly worded one to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns regarding the recent denial of appeals that the California Resources Agency submitted to the U.S. Forest Service in July 2006.

This is an important environmental issue for millions of pristine areas in California and also a painful lesson in the failure of the state in taking legal action and sending strong messages to those trying to undo what has been called the largest conservation efforts of the Clinton Administration, which took place just before George Bush took office. Just as the Governor is trying to play footsie with the California Republican State Senators on rolling back the California Environment Quality Act (CEQA), saying he supports their goal but not holding up the budget over it, there are dangers in cooperating with national Republicans who are hostile to the environment.