The Northern League amendment
The recently proposed amendment to allow the transit of motor vehicles in the woods and paths in Umbria found firm opposition from the environmentalist association Legambiente. Such a stance was conceivable but it sparked the inevitable discussion on the matter.
Legambiente's note
Here is what Legambiente said in this regard: “While the regional government is working to build other roads and highways in every corner of the region, dredging up projects from over twenty years ago, made by councils of the opposite colour, it now even boasts of wanting to allow any motor vehicle to travel on paths and mule tracks of our woodland and forestry heritage, obviously putting slow tourism, ourselves and the other activities carried out in those contexts at risk and bringing traffic even onto the dirt roads of our region".
The reply of the Hon. Puletti
The note continues: “We will fight against this umpteenth absurd attack on the natural heritage of Umbria which, to wink at some category of citizens, irresponsibly puts at risk the nascent and increasingly widespread economy of slow tourism - concludes the environmentalist association - and also the safety of people, inducing some to travel along paths and mule tracks with any type of means. Total madness, nothing more than a Christmas present”. The response from councilor Puletti (Lega) was not long in coming: "I don't accept lessons from Legambiente. I am for development policy and common sense, environmentalist extremism does not belong to me. If Legambiente criticizes me it means I did well".