Hinchey Joins Inslee & Cantwell in Reintroducing Legislation to Protect Nearly 60 Million Acres of Roadless National Forest

Press Release

Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today joined Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA) and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) in reintroducing bipartisan legislation to protect 58.5 million acres of roadless national forests. The Inslee-Cantwell legislation, known as the Roadless Area Conservation Act, would protect the nation's few remaining non-wilderness roadless forests from commercial development by reinstating the Clinton-era roadless rule.

"If the Bush administration has its way, our national forests will just be one giant parking lot," said Hinchey, who is a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior. "All of us who support this bill are obviously in favor of growing our country's economy, but that does not mean we have to chop down every tree in the forest to do so. There is a balance to be found here and that balance includes protecting nearly 60 million acres of roadless forest so that this and all future generations of Americans can enjoy the extraordinary natural beauty that this country has to offer."

Inslee, who has served on the House Natural Resources Committee since 1999 said, "These pristine forests are national treasures that should belong to all Americans, not special interests. That's why it doesn't surprise me that over 90 percent of public comments have been in support of the roadless rule."

Cantwell, a member of the Senate Natural Resources Committee said, "Roadless areas make up more than 20 percent of National Forest land here in Washington state. It's irresponsible and shortsighted to let logging, road-building, and mining degrade these untouched forests. With so few truly wild and pristine public lands left in our country, its time to strike a responsible balance and make the roadless rule law."

The Bush administration is continuing its multi-year push to overturn the existing Clinton-era roadless rule, which protects roadless forest land not set aside as wilderness from environmentally damaging development. By conserving pristine forest lands for future generations -- while allowing hazardous fuels reduction and forest stewardship projects -- the Roadless Area Conservation Act takes a balanced, reasoned approach to forest management on untouched public lands.

The bill also helps address the serious fiscal challenge presented by the more than $8.6 billion maintenance and reconstruction backlog on the 386,000 miles of existing U.S. Forest Service roads. More roads, in addition to degrading sensitive lands, would only add to this backlog.

The Roadless Area Conservation Act is endorsed by The Wildlife Society, Natural Recourses Defense Council, American Lands Alliance, Sierra Club, U.S. Public Interest Research Groups, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, Audubon Society, National Environmental Trust and Heritage Forests Campaign, among other outside organizations.

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