The US Department of Agriculture is asking for public comments on their proposed repeal of the Roadless Rule. The Roadless Rule protects our last, best wild places, prohibiting road construction in 30 percent of national forest lands, and maintaining undisturbed landscapes for recreational uses and wildlife.
Impacts of repeal could include:
- The loss of 2,000,000 acres of undisturbed landscapes in Washington State alone, including 336,000 acres - about 19% - of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
- The degradation of the largest source for municipal water supplies in the nation for 60 million people, including 670,000 residents in Snohomish County.
- A reduction in the $24 billion in annual economic benefits and 237,000 jobs from ecosystem services and outdoor recreation in Washington state.
- Another among the thousands of actions threatening the continuing existence of our iconic northwest species, the salmon and the orca.
The USDA claims repeal will reduce wildfire risk - but the facts say otherwise.
The National Park Service cites research that found humans cause 85 percent of wildfires, and
95 percent occur within half a mile of a road. Building more roads is likely to increase the number of forest fires.
Protecting mature, structurally complex forests provides outsized benefits—carbon storage, water regulation, flood moderation, slope stability, and wildfire resilience—that are permanently lost once logged, even if replanted.
Make your voice heard opposing the repeal of the Roadless Rule during the public comment period, which ends October 6. Join us in submitting comments online via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal.