Colorado is petitioning the federal government for an exemption from a rule against developing 4 million acres of roadless national forest. The state hopes to implement its own rule, which provides exceptions for coal, oil, and gas extraction and logging to reduce wildfire risk. While the Obama administration seems to support the measure, a group of 500 scientists, including Barry Noon (2004) and Stuart Pimm (1999), have signed a letter urging the USDA to reject the proposal.
