Obama gives Vilsack reins over forest road development

The Obama administration on Thursday took its first substantive step into the fray of public lands logging, giving the head of the Agriculture Department sole say over road building and timber sales in millions of acres of federal forests. The directive gives Agriculture Department Secretary Tom Vilsack authority on development in roadless areas for one year. "This interim directive will provide consistency and clarity that will help protect our national forests until a long-term roadless policy reflecting President Obama's commitment is developed," said Vilsack, whose department oversees the U.S. Forest Service. Meanwhile, conservationists and logging interests won conflicting court rulings, and sign-waving protesters took to the woods to try to block timber sales. Although welcome news among opponents of logging or mining in the nation's remaining undeveloped areas, the decision was not unexpected. Most expect the Obama administration to use the time the directive buys to establish a national policy on roadless areas -- whether that means reinstating the Clinton rule or developing a new strategy...Oregonian