FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS

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OPPOSE OVERTURNING THE NATIONAL FOREST ROADLESS CONSERVATION RULE OF 2001

The National Forest Roadless Conservation Rule was issued in January 2001 after the most extensive public rule making process in history, which included 600 public meetings nationwide.  Over 1.6 million public comments on the rule were received by the Forest Service, with 95% of those comments being in favor of the rule.

The rule protects 58.5 million acres of wild National Forest land from most industrial activity, such as logging, mining, and road building.  There are 2,015,000 acres of inventoried roadless areas in Washington and 1,965,00 acres in Oregon.  Among the benefits of this popular conservation policy are clean drinking water for 60 million Americans; protection of critical habitat for more than 1,600 imperiled native species; and unlimited recreation for hikers, hunters, and anglers.

On July 12, 2004 Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman announced the release of a proposed new rule which would abandon protections for 58.5 million acres protected by the Clinton-era roadless rule.  Under the new roadless rule, governors would be required to petition the federal government to block road-building in remote areas of our national forests, with no guarantee that any such petition would be accepted.

The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs strongly opposes overturning the 2001 National Forest Roadless Conservation Rule and reaffirms its long history of supporting protection for America's remaining unroaded forests.

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