Ads call on Obama to uphold Roadless Rule

National environmental organizations ran ads this week encouraging the Obama administration to follow through on its support for strong national roadless protections.  The Administration has taken the first step by calling a “time out” on all activity in roadless areas, but these pristine national forests remain at risk until the Administration fulfils its commitment to uphold and defend the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

To view the ads click on the images below (.PDFs):

The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule is a landmark conservation initiative enacted in January 2001 to protect 58.5 million acres of roadless areas in our national forests from most logging, drilling and road-building. With more than one-half of America's national forests already open to these commodity activities, the rule was intended to preserve the last third of undeveloped forests as a home for wildlife, a haven for recreation and a heritage for future generations.

This legislation would codify the widely-popular 2001 Roadless Rule into law and ensure that the protection of our last pristine wild forests by providing critical ecological protections. Under this balanced legislation, these pristine areas would be protected from most logging and road construction while allowing limited logging and new roads in order to fight fires, maintain forest health, and ensure public health and safety. Additionally, this bill would allow for the expansion of oil and gas operations within existing or renewed leased areas.

National forest roadless areas provide clean drinking water for more than 60 million Americans; wildlife habitat for over 1,600 threatened, endangered or sensitive plant and animal species; and a multitude of  recreational opportunities for millions of Americans. Protecting these roadless areas is also fiscally responsible as it allows the U.S. Forest Service to address the estimated $10 billion backlog in needed road maintenance, instead of using taxpayer dollars to subsidize new roads.

Since the 2001 Roadless Rule was issued, environmentalists, hunters and anglers, outdoor business groups, Governors, and Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have supported it and opposed repeal of its protections. These national forests still stand tall because Americans have enthusiastically embraced their protection, and pushed back when special interests threatened them.