We’re glad to share some good news. President Joe Biden’s administration has proposed to reinstate the road ban in Tongass National Forest.
The Tongass is the largest national forest in the country, and Donald Trump spent his entire term trying to expand fossil fuel development there.
The Roadless Rule protects 58 million acres of undeveloped national forest lands across the country from logging, roadbuilding, and mineral leasing, including vital sections of the Tongass. The nearly 10 million acres of the Tongass trap vast amounts of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. This ancient coastal forest is also home to abundant wildlife and a critical habitat for migrating species like salmon.
Protecting this unique forest could not be more critical.
SEEC members like former Congresswoman and current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland fought back to hold off Donald Trump’s rollbacks, and now the Biden Administration has taken additional steps to protect the Tongass National Forest for good.
President Joe Biden’s administration has taken important steps to protect the Tongass, including;
— Reversing the Trump-era policy opening land up to mining and logging
— Ending large-scale old growth timber sales and instead focusing on forest restoration and resilience
— And now, the Biden administration is putting the end to the debate on developing in the Tongass once and for all.
But we can’t take these wins for granted, Jacob. Republicans have already criticized the decision, and we need to make sure we protect the SEEC members in Congress who helped protect the Tongass. Will you pitch in today?