Senator Cantwell Warns Rescinding Roadless Rule Harms Outdoor Industry and Economy

Roadless Area Conservation Rule

• 📌 The Roadless Area Conservation Act aims to codify the 2001 rule, protecting nearly 60 million acres of pristine national forest across 39 states.
• 🌲 In Washington state alone, approximately 2 million acres of roadless forests are protected, contributing to a $26 billion economy.
• 🏞️ The rule is crucial for maintaining clean water, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities.

Economic Impacts of Rescinding the Rule

• 📉 Senator Cantwell warns that rescinding the Roadless Rule could lead to the collapse of economies reliant on these pristine areas, particularly impacting fishing and tourism.
• 💸 The existing Forest Service road maintenance backlog is over $5.9 billion, raising questions about the necessity of building more roads.
• 💡 Ms. Torres emphasizes that the outdoor recreation economy thrives on stability and certainty, which are undermined by rule changes.

Forest Management and Community Protection

• 🌲 Mr. French argues that the Roadless Rule hinders the ability to treat over 24 million acres within the wildland-urban interface to protect communities from wildfires.
• ⚠️ He states that the administration prioritizes protecting communities, even if it means incurring costs for new roads to access forests for treatment.
• 🪵 Senator Cantwell counters that better planning, forest treatment, and promoting cross-laminated timber can achieve both community protection and preserve outdoor economies.
• 💰 She highlights the significant timber loss due to fires, suggesting a need for better management strategies beyond building more roads into pristine areas.