MATSUI, SEEC COLLEAGUES URGE ROBUST PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS FOR PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07)Co-Chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force, along with fellow Co-Chairs Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08), and Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (OR-03) sent a letter calling on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to provide robust opportunities for public engagement and input on USDA’s proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (Roadless Rule), which aims to undermine the successful management of millions of acres of National Forest System lands across America.  

“For over two decades, the Roadless Rule has successfully guided the management of 58.5 million acres of public lands across the National Forest System. This policy has successfully balanced the Forest Service’s multiple use mandate, preventing new road construction and industrial-scale logging on intact National Forest System lands while still allowing for other land uses such as mining, grazing, and recreation.

“In developing the 2001 Roadless Rule, the Forest Service exhibited exemplary public outreach and coordination, including hosting approximately 430 public meetings, collaborating with seven other federal agencies, consulting with more than 180 American Indian and Alaska Native groups, and providing an ample public comment period that allowed for 1.6 million public comments, over 95 percent of which voiced strong support for roadless areas.

“For a new rulemaking that intends to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule entirely, a 21-day public comment period is unacceptable and will result in a less robust decision-making process that lacks accountability to the public. USDA and the Forest Service must conduct extensive outreach to affected stakeholders to understand how the public wants their public lands managed.”

Read the full letter here.

# # #