The Pew Charitable Trusts submitted comments Oct. 15 about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rulemaking on the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (Roadless Rule) and environmental impact statement process for management of inventoried roadless areas in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.
The comments focus on the benefits of national forest roadless areas, which have been found to provide clean drinking water to downstream communities, harbor the most intact wildlife habitat, and afford important hunting and other recreational opportunities. The Roadless Rule has proved to be a sound and fiscally responsible conservation measure that protects biodiversity and precludes costly construction and maintenance of roads in the forest system’s most remote portions.