California sued the U.S. Forest Service this week, claiming that it violated federal environmental laws and ignored state policies prohibiting road building in roadless areas of national forests. At stake are over 500,000 acres in four national forests in the state that the Bush administration plans to open up to road building, as well as 52,000 acres slated for oil drilling. The state is seeking an injunction to halt the plan. “Today in the face of threats, we are forced to once again stand up for California’s forests,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). “Despite repeated attempts to ensure that the United States Forest Service honor its written assurances that California’s roadless areas would be protected they have failed to do so.”
