Earthjustice Statement on Congressional Hearing on the Roadless Rule
Roadless Area Conservation Act would solidify protections for national forests
Contacts
Becca Bowe, Earthjustice, rbowe@earthjustice.org
On Dec. 2 at 3pm Eastern time, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a subcommittee hearing to consider the Roadless Area Conservation Act (S. 2042) and other bills related to public lands. Re-introduced in June by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz), the Roadless Area Conservation Act (RACA) would permanently codify the U.S. Forest Service’s Roadless Rule into federal law, protecting more than 45 million acres of forests on public lands from logging, mining, and roadbuilding. This hearing is timely given recent Trump administration attacks aimed at the Roadless Rule.
The following is a statement from Addie Haughey, Earthjustice’s Legislative Director for Lands, Wildlife and Oceans:
“We are grateful to those Senators who are moving legislation to protect our National Forests. The plan to undo the Roadless Rule is one of the most unpopular proposals we’ve seen from the Forest Service in decades — but Congress could fight back and protect our cherished national forestlands by enacting the Roadless Area Conservation Act. Solidifying protections for these lands would mean ensuring that they remain intact for people and wildlife, instead of being auctioned off to corporate interests and carved up for short-term profit.”
Background
In late June, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the agency intends to eliminate the Roadless Rule entirely — a choice that would open to the door to widespread industrial logging and jeopardize wildlife habitat, recreation hubs, pristine drinking water sources, and hunting and fishing grounds nationwide. Within months, more than half a million Americans sent messages opposing the idea in public comments to the Forest Service. Others defending the Roadless Rule include former U.S. Forest Service chiefs, Attorneys General from multiple states, Tribal elders and leaders, scientists, business owners, wildland firefighters, local elected officials, hunters and anglers, and outdoors enthusiasts.
Additional Resources
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