Earlier this week, the Bush Administration proposed two devastating policies that would open up vast swaths of our last wild forests to destructive logging and road-building, and essentially gut the immensely popular Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The first proposal allows the Forest Service to completely eliminate roadless area protections for all national forests in Alaska, including America's last wild rainforest, the Tongass National Forest. The second proposal would allow governors to exempt the national forests in their state from the roadless rule.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I'm writing to voice my opposition to the Bush administration's recently announced plans to weaken the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. On Monday, June 9, 2003 the administration outlined two proposed changes to the roadless rule that would completely undermine the protections this landmark conservation policy affords my national forests.

One change would allow governors to seek exemptions from the roadless rule for their states.

Roadless areas in our national forests are federal lands that deserve federal protection. The roadless rule is a balanced policy that protects our last wild forests while making exceptions to ensure public health and safety. The rule was developed after years of debate and shares broad public support. Moreover, the Forest Service has received over 2.2 million comments in support of protecting our national forests.

As you know, the roadless rule protects 58.5 million acres of wild national forests from most commercial logging and road-building. With more than one-half of America's national forests already open to logging, mining, and drilling, the rule was intended to preserve the last third of undeveloped forest lands as a home for wildlife, haven for recreation, and a heritage for future generations.

The administration is also planning to exempt Alaska's Tongass National Forest from the roadless rule. The Tongass is not only our largest national forest but the only coastal temperate rainforest in the United States. Their proposal would allow the Forest Service to move forward with 50 proposed timber sales in roadless areas that should be protected by the roadless rule.

I urge you to reject these harmful changes to the roadless rule that weaken the protections it provides my last wild forests. Additionally, I urge you to contact President Bush and ask him to uphold the original Roadless Area Conservation Rule as published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001.

Thank you for your consideration of my concerns on this very important conservation issue.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 12, 2003