BUSH ADMINISTRATION PREPARES TO HAND OVER AMERICA'S LAST WILD FORESTS TO TIMBER INDUSTRY

New Proposal Guts the Widely Popular
Roadless Area Conservation Rule


WASHINGTON DC - The Bush Administration proposed massive changes to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule yesterday that erode protections for 58.5 million acres of pristine National Forests in 39 states, including 9.3 million acres of North America's only coastal temperate rainforest - Alaska's Tongass National Forest.

The Roadless Rule was approved in January 2001 following years of scientific study, more than 600 public meetings across the country and 1.6 million official public comments. Washington State residents submitted more than 60,000 comments. While protecting the last one-third of our threatened national forests from most commercial activity, the rule allows new roads to be constructed in order to fight fires, and ensure public health and safety.

"The Bush Administration is completely disregarding the will of the American public as well as that of Washington State residents," said John Leary, Director of the Wild Washington Campaign. "They are undermining the most popular federal rulemaking in history and showing their true colors in regard to public involvement in land management."