FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Congress Seizes Moment to Protect America’s Last Pristine Forests

Bipartisan group pushes lasting legislative solution for nation’s roadless backcountry

Congress introduces legislation to end years of conflict and uncertainty over roadless area management. More than half of Oregon's delegation co-sponsors the bill.

A politically and geographically diverse coalition of congressional members introduced legislation today to permanently safeguard the nation’s roadless areas from harmful development. Oregon Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and David Wu, and Senator Jeff Merkley joined nearly 200 co-sponsors—including five of six west coast senators—to support the Roadless Area Protection Act of 2009. The legislation would bring to an end eight years of efforts to undermine the 2001 Roadless Rule by codifying it into law and providing a national standard for protecting pristine places in America’s National Forests.

“After eight years of attacks by the Bush administration it is clear that Congress needs to step in to permanently protect what’s left of our pristine roadless forests from changing political winds,” said Steve Pedery with the conservation group Oregon Wild. “These special places provide too much in the way of clean water, recreation, and wildlife habitat for Congress not to act.”

Today’s bill introduction is timely. President Obama promised to uphold and defend the 2001 Rule.  However, the administration’s actions have so far been mixed. 

In May, the administration issued a directive requiring extra scrutiny of roadless projects.  In August, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals effectively reinstated the Rule and dealt yet another rebuke to the prior presidential administration’s efforts to undermine it. The ruling reinforced protections for 50 million acres (nearly 2 million in Oregon) in the National Forest system from logging, harmful road building, and destructive development.

Despite the ruling and the administration’s roadless rhetoric, a massive logging plan north of Crater Lake National Park is still slogging forward. The D-Bug timber sale in the Umpqua National Forest would log more acres and see the construction of more roads than occurred across the entire country during the entire eight years of the Bush administration. Halfway across the country, state officials in Colorado continue to push a roadless plan that undermines national protections for National Forests and allows logging and mining in previously protected areas. Colorado natural resource officials are working to finalize the plan after a comment period closes this Saturday, October 3.

“Teddy Roosevelt created our National Forests to be special places that belong to all Americans for all time,” added Rob Klavins, Roadless Wildlands Advocate with Oregon Wild. “The legislation introduced today follows that spirit by ensuring that short-term, provincial interests don’t override the long-term benefit of the entire nation.”

Despite being wildly popular, the Roadless Rule has been caught up in the federal courts and the politics of changing Presidents for almost a decade. It was originally adopted by the Clinton administration in 2001 after careful scientific and environmental review, as well as the most extensive public involvement process in the history of federal rulemaking. The Bush administration attempted to repeal the rule and open up roadless wildlands across the nation to logging and other development. The Roadless Area Protection Act introduced today is co-sponsored by five of six west coast senators (Boxer, Cantwell, Feinstein, Merkley, and Murray). The Bill would end years of conflict and uncertainty over roadless area management.

Roadless area protection has enjoyed tremendous public support over the years. The term “roadless area” is shorthand for pristine lands within America’s National Forests. These lands provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat left in the nation as well as clean, safe sources of drinking water to millions of Americans and 80% of Oregonians. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects these lands from logging and development, while ensuring they remain open to traditional outdoor recreation activities such as camping, hiking, fishing, and hunting. The Roadless Rule has been strongly supported by America’s outdoor recreation industry, from giants like The North Face and REI to local Oregon businesses such as Keen Footwear and Clackacraft Drift Boats.

“Oregon’s elected leaders and outdoor businesses across the country understand that roadless protections are synonymous with quality of life,” concluded Pedery. “We have a responsibility to pass on the things that make Oregon great to future generations.”

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Click the appropriate link for a list of original co-sponsors in the House and in the Senate

Click the appropriate link for a copy of the bill text in the House and in the Senate.

Click here for the press release from Senator Cantwell & Representative Inslee.

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