BATTLE TO PROTECT AMERICA’S RAINFOREST HEATS UP ON TWO FRONTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE – Today the Bush administration bowed to corporate special interests and moved to strip America's Rainforest from the landmark Roadless Rule. A public comment period is open through August 14, 2003. ON CAPITOL HILL – The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote, as early as tomorrow, on a Roadless Amendment to keep the Roadless Rule intact! TAKE ACTION: 1. Tell the Bush Administration you oppose their plans to exempt the Tongass and Chugach National Forests in Alaska from the Roadless Rule. Send an email today online: www.akrain.org! (Information about alternative ways to comment is included at the bottom of this alert.) 2. Call (1-800-839-5276 or 202-224-3121) your U.S. Representative and ask them to vote YES on the Roadless Rule Amendment to protect America’s rainforest in Alaska! THE ISSUE: Today, the Bush administration took the first procedural swipe at the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule by proposing to strip protections from America’s rainforest in Alaska – fully one-quarter of the lands protected by the Rule. The official notice appeared in the Federal Register and kicks off two, simultaneous 30-day public comment periods on the administration’s proposed exemptions of the Tongass and Chugach National Forests in Alaska from the Roadless Rule. The Rainforest comment periods are the first opportunity the public has to officially comment on the Bush administration's attempts to gut the Roadless Rule. The administration is also expected, later this year, to propose to allow state governors to apply for exemptions from the Roadless Rule in their states. During development of the Rule, 2.2 million public comments were received in favor of enacting the conservation policy. More Americans took part in this rulemaking process than in any other federal rulemaking in history. Yet despite pledges to uphold the Roadless Rule, the Bush administration is moving to dismantle it. In anticipation of the Roadless Rule exemptions, the administration has already been planning for more industrial-scale logging in the Tongass. It has already scheduled close to 50 timber sales in roadless areas protected the Rule. These sales would effectively take the best of what’s left in the Tongass. Over 70 percent of the biggest and best trees have already been clearcut in the Tongass. In Congress – Members of the U.S. House of Representatives will, as early as tomorrow, have the opportunity to vote in support of the popular Roadless Rule. Leaders in the House are expected to offer an amendment to the Department of Interior Appropriations Bill that would limit the Bush administration’s ability to undermine the Roadless Rule. ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO COMMENT ON THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S PROPOSALS: Be sure to send copies of your letters to each address listed so that it will be counted for each of the two simultaneous official comment periods! EMAIL: * [log in to unmask] ** [log in to unmask] MAIL TO: * Roadless TNF, Content Analysis Team, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 22810, Salt Lake City, UT 84122 ** Roadless ANPR, USFS Content Analysis Team, P.O. Box 22777, Salt Lake City, UT 84122 FAX: * (801) 880-2808 ** (801) 880-3311 *Addresses for comments on the proposed temporary regulation of the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule **Addresses for comments on the advanced notice of public rulemaking proposing to permanently exempt the Tongass from the Roadless Rule and extend the exemption to include the Chugach National Forest. SAMPLE LETTER: Dear Chief Dale Bosworth, I strongly support the Roadless Area Conservation Rule as it was issued in January 2001 and oppose the proposed exemptions of the Tongass and Chugach National Forests, our nation’s two largest national forests, from the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The Roadless Rule, a landmark conservation policy, has the overwhelming support of the American people. Safeguarding our wild forests from road building, commercial logging, mining and drilling benefits everyone including those who hunt, fish, hike, camp and recreate on these public lands. To exempt America’s rainforest – one-quarter of our nation’s roadless forests – from protection is unwarranted and unwanted. Please accept this as my official comment opposing the proposed temporary exemption of the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule and the advance notice of proposed rulemaking to make permanent the Tongass exemption and extend it to the Chugach National Forest (36 CFR Parts 219 and 294). Sincerely, *** Thank you for taking action! If you have any questions please contact Laurie Cooper ([log in to unmask]). If at anytime you wish to unsubscribe please visit http://www.akrain.org/howtohelp/default.asp where you can easily remove yourself from the list. Thanks for your support. Alaska Rainforest Campaign Staff. Erin E. Jordahl Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club 3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280 Des Moines, IA 50310 515-277-8868 [log in to unmask] www.iowa.sierraclub.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp