White House Announces New Process to Restore Greater Protections for Tongass
Tongass National Forest, Alaska
Nelson Guda
White House should restore all protections provided by the Roadless Rule
Washington, DC (June 11, 2021) - The Biden administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would start a new process in August to repeal or replace the Alaska Roadless Rule exemption in the Tongass National Forest. The Trump-era action exempts 9.4 million acres of the Tongass from the 2001 Roadless Rule, which for the past two decades protected this ancient rainforest from road construction and timber harvesting.
Today’s announcement makes good on a Biden administration’s day-one Executive Order to review this environmental rollback.
The Wilderness Society is pleased by this announcement and looks forward to the administration reinstating full protections on the Tongass, one of the last temperate rainforests on the planet. The following statement can be attributed to Josh Hicks, Senior Campaign Manager:
"This is a welcome step in the right direction to restoring science-based decision making in the fight against climate change. We know that our forests are highly effective at sequestering carbon and, if left standing, are one of the strongest natural solutions to combating the climate crisis. The Tongass, in particular, stores more carbon than any other national forest, and is home to pristine wildlife and wildlands. The livelihoods of thousands of people who live in Southeast Alaska depend on it remaining intact.
By protecting wild nature, we can keep our communities and forests safe and healthy. The sooner the Biden administration restores protections afforded under the national Roadless Rule, the better."
CONTACTS:
- Josh Hicks, senior campaign manager, The Wilderness Society, (720) 984-8544, josh_hicks@tws.org
- Chelsi Moy, communications manager, The Wilderness Society, (406) 240-3013, chelsi_moy@tws.org
