Earthjustice Responds to Trump Administration Attack on Cherished National Forests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today began the process to repeal the Roadless Rule, a landmark conservation policy that was enacted in 2001 to protect nearly 45 million acres of pristine public lands nationwide. The Roadless Rule was extremely popular when enacted, with 95% of the 1.6 million people who submitted public comments advocating for its establishment. Public support for keeping forests as intact ecosystems, curtailing harmful roadbuilding, and ending commercial logging in the remaining wild national forestlands remains strong.

The following is a statement from Drew Caputo, Vice President of Litigation for Lands, Wildlife and Oceans at Earthjustice:

“The Roadless Rule has protected priceless forests across America for a quarter century. These national forests belong to all Americans, not to the timber industry, which wants them sold to the highest bidder. Earthjustice has successfully defended the Roadless Rule in court for decades. Nothing will stop us from taking up that fight again.”

The public has just three weeks, until September 19, to comment on this first step in the Forest Service’s process to rescind the roadless rule.

Background

Across the national forest system, roadless lands provide habitat for many imperiled wildlife species. Millions visit these places for recreational activities such as hiking, river rafting, hunting, fishing, camping, mountain biking, and rock climbing. These forests also protect the headwaters of major rivers — making them vital for maintaining clean drinking water for communities across the country.

Although proponents of this rollback have attempted to blame wildfire to justify removing protections, research shows that wildfires are more likely to start near roads — and opening the door to heavy industry will create new fire safety concerns. Taxpayers have already paid billions to subsidize 380,000 miles of forest roads, most of which are inaccessible to the public and now face a chronic maintenance backlog that has ballooned into the billions.

Numerous national organizations, tribes, businesses, wildfire fighters, hunters, fishermen, and other interest groups also joined a coalition statement strongly opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate the Roadless Rule nationwide.