A bipartisan group of 173 members of Congress sent a clear message to the Bush Administration on June 5, introducing a bill to provide critical protection for roadless areas across the country. The National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act would protect 58.5 million roadless acres in our National Forests from most road construction, logging, mining, and drilling.

Originally developed by the Clinton Administration, the Roadless Rule was based on years of scientific study and the highest level of public participation in history. To date, the Forest Service has received more than 2.2 million comments favoring protection of roadless areas, an outpouring of public response that is almost ten times greater than on any other issue. The Bush Administration has steadfastly refused to uphold the Roadless Rule, however, and has issued a number of directives to undermine its basic protective measures since taking office

This legislation would codify the Roadless Rule into law. At the national level, the legislation would stop 33 logging sales that are currently slated for the Tongass National Forest and other places in Alaska. Locally, the bill would protect numerous areas that are currently proposed for wilderness designation, including the East Fork of the South Fork Trinity River and the North Fork Trinity Alps Wilderness Area in the Salmon River watershed.

Although 173 Representatives signed on as original co-sponsors to the bill, our local Congressman, Mike Thompson, is not one of them. Please contact Congressman Thompson to urge his support of this important legislation. He can be reached at:

his local Eureka office at 707-269-9595
317 3rd Street,
Eureka, CA 95501

or his D.C. office at (202) 225-3311
119 Cannon House Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20515.