Where the presidential candidates stand on public-lands issues Perhaps the most contentious public-lands issue in recent years has been the so-called "Roadless Rule" that the Clinton administration put in place during its final days in 2001. "Obama supports the Roadless Area Conservation Rule to keep over 58 million acres of national forests pristine," according to the candidate's environment plan [PDF]. "As president, he will repair the damage done to our national parks by inadequate funding and emphasize the protection and restoration of our national forests." When it comes to logging on public lands in general, Obama told the Flathead Beacon of Montana that he thinks we can balance economic growth and sustainability. "If we're going to have timber industries operating on public land, then we should make sure that old-growth forests aren't destroyed but it's that second growth are what are harvested." On national parks, Obama has said he is "committed to addressing the funding shortfall that the National Park Service has experienced" and will push for the park service to have enough money to meet its backlog of maintenance needs by the service's 100th anniversary in 2016. On mining, Obama last year opposed a House bill that would have reformed the 1872 Mining Law, saying the bill would have "placed a significant burden on the mining industry and could have a significant impact on jobs." That disappointed enviros who have long called for an overhaul of the 1872 law, which lets companies mine public lands without paying royalties and doesn't hold them responsible for mine cleanup. Obama says he does want to update the 1872 law to improve environmental protections and provide compensation for the use of federal land, but on the campaign trail he has stressed that he wants to support the mining industry and make sure reform doesn't hurt it....