From Trout Unlimited:
Arlington, Virginia — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its intention to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule—which provides critical protections for 58.5 million acres of national forest lands across the United States. Originally promulgated in response to the growing backlog of costs associated with maintaining the more than 386,000 miles of roads spanning across the national forest system, the Roadless Rule has become an effective and popular mechanism for conserving important backcountry fish and wildlife habitat.
“Roadless areas are sources of clean water and some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities on the planet,” said Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. “Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the Forest Service, once described conservation as ‘the application of common sense to common problems for the common good.’ Let’s hope common sense prevails and the Administration reconsiders its proposal.”
For more than 20 years, the Roadless Rule has conserved backcountry public lands and waters while providing flexibility for the Forest Service to steward these high-value landscapes through active management that improves forest health and allows for natural resource development. These multiple-use areas sustain native trout and salmon, support wildlife with unfragmented corridors and offer irreplaceable backcountry hunting and angling experiences.
Roadless areas provide unparalleled outdoor access for hunters and anglers, allow for grazing, energy and resource management activities, and power the restoration economy. In fact, TU and its partners have carried out hundreds of habitat improvement projects in roadless areas, demonstrating how conservation, industry, and access can coexist. These restoration projects reduce wildfire and flood risk and enhance recreational value, while creating thousands of high-quality rural jobs. Importantly, the 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for forest management activities, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species.
“The roadless rule is one of the most significant and popular conservation achievements in the history of the United States. It protects drinking water supplies, fish and wildlife habitat, and hunting and angling opportunities. We urge USDA to keep these protections in place, and we’re committed to working with them to ensure these lands are managed wisely, for the benefit of everyone.”
The original roadless rule, established by the Forest Service after years of formulation and more public comment than any other rulemaking up to that point, has received broad support. The announcement to rescind the rule did not detail a public comment period – usually required for similar changes to policy and land management rules – and comes on the heels of broad public outcry against a Senate proposal to sell or otherwise privatize public lands.