A Major Victory for Our Forests
Nearly 50 million acres of undeveloped national forest lands won a reprieve in September when a federal court reinstated the 2001 Roadless Rule, which has been under intense attack by the Bush administration for almost six years. Ruling on a suit brought by The Wilderness Society, 19 other groups, and four western states, the court found that the administration had failed to do the environmental studies necessary to set aside the 2001 policy. As of mid-October, it was unclear what the government or industry might do to counter the decision. Also uncertain was the status of nine million acres in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, which has the most roadless acreage but is not covered by this decision.
“This is a wonderful court decision for roadless areas, and a powerful reminder to the administration that it can’t get away with ignoring environmental laws,” says Mike Anderson, a nationally recognized expert on national forest policy based in our Seattle office. “Roadless forests are prized for the clean water they send downstream, their healthy fisheries, their wildlife, and their peace and quiet. For decades, protecting these special places has been a top priority for us, and this is a tremendously important victory for the millions of citizens who have urged that roadless forests be left alone.”
Track developments.
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