Boise, Idaho – The nation’s only successfully state-created roadless plan was heard today by a three judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Portland, Oregon.
U.S. Senator Jim Risch attended the hearing on the plan he created as governor in 2006. The collaborative effort led by Risch included county commissioners, tribes, timber companies, hunters and environmental and recreational groups that resulted in the creation of different management plans for various tracts within the 9.3 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in Idaho.
“As governor, I saw the need for the different Idaho groups to sit down and come up with our own plan. The federally-mandated one size fits all approach did not work, and we had an opportunity to craft a plan with people who truly knew the state,” said Risch. “Working with groups like the Idaho Conservation League and Trout Unlimited, along with loggers, off-road users and other stakeholders, we crafted the only state plan in the nation that protects our land and helps rural communities.”
In 2011, a federal district judge upheld the Idaho Roadless Rule and the decision was appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Following today’s hearing the panel will render their decision in the coming months.
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