Senator Cantwell Introduces a Bill to Protect Our Nation’s Roadless Areas in Federal Forests

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a bill today to protect roadless areas in our nation’s national forests.

In January the State of Alaska requested that Secretary of Agriculture Perdue initiate a rulemaking process to exempt the Tongass National Forest from the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (the Roadless Rule) -- it is expected that the Forest Service and State of Alaska will announce and initiate that rulemaking process imminently.

Former Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO, Jamie Rappaport Clark, issued this statement:

“This legislation is about preserving the relatively few remaining national forest lands not already fragmented by roads and logging activity. Protecting these undeveloped wildlands from the devastating effects of logging and roads safeguards habitat for thousands of wildlife species. It also provides clean water and unparalleled recreational opportunities for Americans, while still allowing other types of development to proceed as part of responsible forest management.

"In light of the myriad of legislative threats we have seen in this Congress to the Forest Service’s landmark 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, and given the Trump administration and State of Alaska’s collusive efforts to roll back the conservation rule administratively, it is timely for Congress to act to solidify it.

“Thank you to Senator Maria Cantwell for her tireless work to protect our nation’s forests from unsustainable development, logging and other threats.”