Media Contacts
Ellen Montgomery
Director, Great Outdoors Campaign, Environment America
SANTA FE, N.M. – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced on Monday that the United States Forest Service will begin the process of rescinding the Roadless Rule.
Enacted by President Bill Clinton in 2001, the Roadless Rule was the result of years of work and public input. The public comment period set a record with 1.6 million public comments submitted. The rule protects 58.5 million acres of national forests over 39 states from new road construction, and prohibits the logging of roadless areas in the National Forest System.
In response, Great Outdoors Campaign Director Ellen Montgomery issued the following statement:
“Anyone who has been deep in the woods knows the magic of being in nature. Wild, untamed areas in our national forests provide uninterrupted habitat for critters, protect precious wild areas in the backcountry for backpackers and hikers, and filter clean drinking water. The Roadless Rule is the most effective conservation rule on the books at protecting mature and old-growth forests. As forests get older, they enhance habitat and absorb more carbon from our atmosphere. We must not rescind this rule – this is a terrible idea and will hurt wildlife, nature lovers and future generations who deserve forests.”
