Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District

Issues

Environment

Inslee Roadless Bill Would Counteract Administration's Proposal

March 28, 2003

U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee announced that he will re-introduce the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act this spring in order to counteract, among other things, today's announcement by the Bush Administration that it plans to permit logging and logging roads in the Tongass forest. Inslee is the highest ranking Democratic on the Forest and Forest Health Subcommittee. Last year, his National Forest Roadless Areas Act was cosponsored by one hundred seventy-nine Members of Congress.

"This plan by the Bush administration favors logging and roadbuilding within our pristine national forests over historically strong public opposition. The Bush plan is an egregious move to favor special interests over the will of the people," said Inslee. "My roadless legislation will void this move by the Bush administration."

The Forest Service decision is especially important this year, as Congress included a provision in the Omnibus appropriations bill stating that Forest Service regulations may not be challenged in court once they become final. Inslee called this Omnibus provision a "leech on the body politic."

The Forest Service decision announced today that none of the Tongass's one hundred fifteen areas-without-roads are worthy of long-term protection as either "wilderness" areas or permanent "roadless" areas. Instead, the Service considers these areas to be "wildlands," a designation entailing no protection whatsoever. This decision ignores overwhelming public comments that the Tongass areas should be protected as "wilderness." Under the Bush plan, key areas of roadless, virgin rainforest would be logged within the next decade.