“USDA is manufacturing controversy around a policy that, for decades, has enjoyed broad public support,” said GreenLatinos CEO.
WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, despite 99% of public comments articulating support for retaining this regulation after recent comment periods. The Roadless Rule was implemented in 2001 with 95% to 97% of the original 1.6 million public comments in favor of the Rule. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects 58.5 million acres of National Forest System lands in its natural state, free of road construction and logging, for the benefit of clean watersheds, accessible recreation, and healthy wildlife habitat. Notably, the 2001 Roadless Rule allows hazardous fuels reduction; 34% of all fuel treatment activities between 2001-2019 occurred in roadless areas.
In response, GreenLatinos issues the following statements:
“The USDA is manufacturing controversy around a policy that, for decades, has enjoyed broad public support. The Roadless Rule is backed by supermajorities across the country because it protects healthy forests, clean water, wildlife habitat, and the watersheds millions of Americans depend on. The real threats to our national forests come from cuts to Forest Service staffing, the closure of offices across the country, and the loss of the capacity needed to manage our forests and reduce wildfire risk. This administration should listen to the millions of Americans who have participated in Roadless Rule public comment periods and keep these protections intact. Weakening the Roadless Rule puts forests and watersheds at risk, and could ultimately threaten access to safe, clean drinking water for Latino communities and communities across the country,” said Mark Magaña, GreenLatinos Founding President & CEO, of Boulder, CO.
“We agree with Utah Governor Cox, loving our forests means taking care of them. Unfortunately, his idea of love and care means carving up our national forests with roads that disturb wildlife, increase the risk of roadside ignitions, and impair snowpack for drinking water. GreenLatinos calls on the governor to tackle the actual forest management problems visible to anyone who has visited the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest: fossil-fuel emission-driven drought, congestion, and disrepair. Let’s focus on harnessing solar energy, augmenting the United States Forest Service workforce and Conservation Corps, and providing public transit to trails. USDA should walk away from repealing the Roadless Area Conservation Rule,” said Olivia Juarez, GreenLatinos Public Land Program Director of Salt Lake City, UT.
“For much of our state's history, our lands have been abused by outside interests. The Roadless Area Conservation Rule has created an opportunity for our forests and prairies, fish and wildlife, our people and communities to heal some of those injuries. The vast majority of New Mexicans, and our neighbors in other western states, want to keep these areas protected from the greed of corporate interests. The people of New Mexico, ALL Americans, deserve to have open spaces that give us our connection to nature. Cibola, Santa Fe, and Carson National Forests need this protection. Gila trout and Mexican Spotted Owls need this protection. Hunters and anglers, hikers and mountain bikers, and anyone who wants clean air and water need this protection,” said Carlos Matutes, New Mexico State Director, of Sandia Park, NM.
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About GreenLatinos
NOTE: GreenLatinos is ONE WORD. GreenLatinos convenes an active comunidad of environmental, conservation, and climate justice leaders rooted in the power and wisdom of our culture, united to uplift our priorities, and driven to secure our political, economic, cultural, and environmental liberation.
