Sam Gibbons: “the new administration has certainly had its hands full reviewing hundreds of hastily conceived and poorly drafted…”

“the new administration has certainly had its hands full reviewing hundreds of hastily conceived and poorly drafted regulations issued in the waning hours of the Clinton administration. For example, the Clinton roadless initiative proposes to protect the environment by slamming the door and locking up 58 million acres of public land from public access. Certainly we need to protect our public lands and our sensitive lands, but this rule does not only prohibit the construction of new roads in these areas, it also closes thousands of existing roads used by Americans to enjoy firsthand the beauty of our public lands. Closing off public lands should be made only on a case-by-case basis and not by hurried and executive edicts. Protecting our pristine environment does not justify banning Americans from accessing and enjoying these lands. We must revise any roadless initiative which would force Americans to experience the beauty of our lands by looking into a photograph instead of experiencing and appreciating nature's magnificence in a firsthand measure.”