To provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System

While much of the nation's attention is focused on other matters, the Bush Administration continues to work behind the scenes to dismantle the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. That Clinton Administration policy sought to protect the more than 30 percent of what is left of America's last wild national forests from logging, mining, and drilling.

In 1999, recognizing growing threats to the health of our national forests, and following decades of study, the U.S. Forest Service set aside 58.5 million acres of our last wild national forest lands from road construction. After the most extensive public rulemaking in history, including more than 600 public meetings and a record-breaking 1.6 million favorable public comments, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule was issued. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly has stated its support for the protection of national forests from new road building, and the Presbyterian Washington Office has previously published a number of bulletins calling on Presbyterians to participate in the public comment period as the rule was being created.

The Bush Administration has made several promises to uphold the rule. Yet even after an additional 650,000 favorable public comments have been made, the Bush Administration continues to oppose the roadless rule and refuses to keep its promise.

More than two million Americans have now personally told the U.S. Forest Service that they want our national forests protected by the roadless rule. Buoyed by strong bipartisan support in Congress, as well as from scientists, faith-based communities, and editorial boards across the nation, this unprecedented public support makes the rule one of the most popular conservation policies in decades. Nevertheless, the Bush Administration appears to be moving steadily to undo it.

At a news conference on May 4 of 2001, Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth pledged to "uphold" the roadless rule. "We're here today to announce the department's decision to uphold the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Through this action, we are reaffirming the Department of Agriculture's commitment to the important challenge of protecting roadless values." However, on May 17, 2001, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft had filed a "status report" concerning the rule. In plain language, that means that while the Bush Administration would not rescind the rule outright, it would significantly weaken it. Then, The Denver Post reported on June 15, 2001 that the Forest Service circulated draft forest planning regulations that would eliminate or significantly reduce most of the environmental safeguards included in the forest planning process. Particularly, the forest planning regulations would eliminate the priority for ecological sustainability, and give powerful logging companies even more influence over forest planning decisions.

By September 2001, Forest Service Chief Bosworth had announced a new directive that gave him more authority over roadless area timber decisions, but it did not prevent road building or timber sales from moving forward where forest plans have already been completed, like the Tongass National Forest, where a Federal Judge ordered the Forest Service to rework an extremely controversial forest plan earlier in the year. Chief Bosworth then proposed changes to the "categorical exclusions" rules that would now exempt small-scale logging and road building activities in roadless areas from the usual environmental analysis requirements.

Throughout this time, the Justice Department had failed to file any appeals against the Federal Judge's order and Justice Department attorneys were absent from a hearing of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on the future of the roadless rule. Only environmental groups argued on behalf of the public; who overwhelmingly support roadless protections.

S 2790 and HR 4865 Seek to Protect Roadless Areas

Many religious groups and environmental organizations have announced support for bipartisan legislation introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. S 2790, The Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2002, would protect 58.5 million acres of national forest lands from most commercial logging and road-building. It would protect the same forest lands by law, rather than the current rule established by Clinton Administration, and not supported by the Bush Administration.

As noted by Jane Danowitz, Director of the Heritage Forests Campaign, a national alliance of organizations and religious groups working to protect our national forests: "We commend Senators Cantwell and Warner for their leadership on forest protection. With timber sales moving forward in the Tongass National Forest and road maintenance backlog at an all time high, expanding bipartisan support for roadless protection couldn't come at a more critical time."

Introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Warner (R-VA), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Max Cleland (D-GA) and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), the Senate bill codifies the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, one of the most sweeping land conservation measures in a generation. And in the House of Representatives, The National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2002, HR 4865, is sponsored by Reps. Sherwood Boehlert (R- NY) and Jay Inslee (D-WA), along with more than 179 other Members of Congress.

America's national forests are already covered with 386,000 miles of roads; enough to circle the earth 15 times. A recent report by Taxpayers for Common Sense revealed that nationally there is a backlog of road repairs that amounts to $8.4 billion. Sixteen states, including Alaska, California, Washington, and Michigan, have a backlog of road repairs amounting to more than $100 million. (See www.ourforests.org)

The new legislation would protect our last pristine wild forests by reinforcing the roadless rule and prohibiting new road construction and reconstruction. It would not, however, completely ban road building, road reconstruction or economic utilization.

The legislation allows new roads to be constructed in specific circumstances, such as to fight fires or when other natural disasters threaten public safety. The bill does not close any existing roads or trails and allows full access for recreational activities.

In addition, the legislation:

• Does not affect the right of access to property owned by states or individuals,
• Allows logging of certain timber to reduce wildfire risk, and
• Allows for the expansion of existing oil and gas operations.

This past summer, millions of Americans had the opportunity to enjoy our national forests for various recreational activities. Our government should want to make sure that families across the country have the opportunity to enjoy the splendor of our national forests now and for years to come. That opportunity will be lost if we don't protect these precious public lands now.

Now that Congress is back from its summer recess, it is time for people of faith to make their voices heard on this important creation care bill. Activists should contact their U.S. Representative and their two U.S. Senators and ask them to co-sponsor and support The National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2002.

General Assembly

The 202nd General Assembly (1990) recommends: Basic policies, consistent with the spirit of the following aphorisms:

• Keep wildlife wild and free.
• Avoid irreversible change.
• Protect and expand remaining public wildlands.
• Optimize natural diversity; optimize natural stability.
• Increase options for experiencing natural history.
• Do not "discount" the future value of the environment.
• Respect life, the species more than the individual.
• Respect life, the more sentient the more respect.
• Think of nature as a community, more than a commodity.

Implementation of policies:

1. Preserve wildlands in all the diverse kinds of American ecosystems, including wildlands near urban areas; and restore degraded wildlands, reintroducing all the original native fauna and flora where possible.
2. Protect wetlands, showing special concern for critical environments that support internationally migratory wildlife.
3. Support opportunities for wilderness and wildlife education for all ages.
4. Stop cutting remaining pristine forests on public lands.
5. Provide interpretation and economic support for those persons whose lives and jobs must be altered in the interest of long-range environmental quality.
6. In economic development, prefer the most environmentally sustainable option over development that maximizes short-term profits.
7. Support Native American efforts to retain and restore wildlands and to maintain a sustainable relationship with wildlife.
8. Prohibit trade in endangered wild animals and endangered plants, or products derived from them.
9. Stop indiscriminate killing of wild animals.
10. Make a high priority the welfare of all zoo animals and other wild animals in captivity. (Minutes, 1990, Part I, p.666)