U.S. Forest Service Moves to Eliminate Roadless Rule Protections in Alaska

[UngulateNerd92]

The U.S. Forest Service will release the final environmental impact statement tomorrow for a regulation that will eliminate the national Roadless Area Conservation Rule on the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska. The national Roadless Rule has been in place since 2001 and protects about 9.2 million acres in the Tongass, including old-growth trees and habitat for salmon, Alexander Archipelago wolves and Sitka black-tailed deer, from logging and associated roadbuilding. According to the Forest Service, 96% of commenters on the proposal want to see the Roadless Rule remain in place. But despite this overwhelming support for protecting our national forest lands, the agency has decided to ignore the public and pave the way for more logging and roadbuilding in the Tongass.

U.S. Forest Service Moves to Eliminate Roadless Rule Protections in Alaska

 

[birdsandbats]

Another move that shows just how business-focused the US departments that are supposed to be focusing on conservation really are. Alaska has really been getting the short end of the stick recently with drilling in the Arctic NWR, the Pebble Mine, and now this. I wonder if in a few decades Alaska will still be known for being pristine? If it isn't the state's economy is ruined.