JUNEAU – The federal government announced Thursday that it is beginning to repeal a Trump-era rule allowing road-building and logging harvesting within an immense southeast Alaska rainforest that provides habitats for wolves and bears.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the proposed measure to repeal last years rule will be made available for public comment starting next week. This will begin a 60-day process.
The Tongass National Forest was exempted from the 2001 rule banning road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvesting in areas that were not roadless.
Tongass, which covers 16.7 million acres (67.582 km2), is the largest national forest of the country.
The exemption was opposed by conservationists and indigenous communities, who claimed it endangered wildlife, old-growth forests, and local economies that depend on tourism and fishing. They applauded Thursday’s announcement.
Andrea Feniger, Sierra Club Alaska Chapter Director, stated that the Tongass is an irreplaceable resource and a crucial tool in fighting climate change. She also said that this action will bring her one step closer in protecting forest wildlands for good.
Andy Moderow, of the Alaska Wilderness League, agreed. He said that Secretary Vilsack and President Biden were commendable for taking steps to restore faith and trust in Alaskans, who now recognize that old-growth industrial-scale logging is an era gone by in Southeast Alaska.
However, Alaskan legislators have supported the exemption. The Biden administration announced plans to repeal the exemption and replace it in June. U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan called it “misguided” and U.S. Rep Don Young stated that it was “yet one more nail in the coffin of economic opportunity in southeast Alaska.”
Sullivan stated that the roadless rule was a hindrance for activities like mineral development, building energy projects, and connecting communities.
