WASHINGTON - The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is considering an important case in the effort to save National Forest Roadless Areas. At issue is the legality of the U.S. Forest Service's Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a regulation adopted on Jan. 12 of last year.

The case before the Ninth Circuit is an appeal of an Idaho federal district court decision to issue a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the Roadless Rule. The May 10, 2001 injunction was issued by Judge Edward Lodge. He stated that the rule would cause "irreparable harm" to federal forest lands and those that neighbor it.

An appeal was filed by a coalition of environmental intervenors and the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics filed a separate appeal in the case. The Ninth Circuit subsequently agreed to expedite consideration of the appeals and heard oral arguments in the case on Oct. 15, 2001.

In addition to the two cases affected by the Ninth Circuit appeals decision, there are seven other court cases that have been filed against the Rule.

For more information on the happenings with the Roadless Area Conservation Rule visit www.wilderness.org.