May 5, 2009 — Governor Gregoire signed a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, urging the Obama administration to reinstate a “Time Out” on all road-building within inventoried roadless areas and to take the necessary steps to implement the 2001 Roadless Rule, which protects 58 million acres of roadless forestland across the US. Left over from the previous administration, continued legal confusion is allowing many once protected roadless forestlands to become commercial logging projects. Governor Gregoire joins a growing number of governors from across the country expressing the need for swift action to protect the 58 million acres of pristine roadless forests. WWC has been actively working with over 360 local elected officials and other stakeholders in Washington to offer their support for roadless forest protections.

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Additional letters are needed to urge Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to issue a directive that would not allow projects inconsistent with the Roadless Rule to move forward until permanent protections are again put in place. Please send a letter today, asking Secretary Vilsack to implement an immediate “time out” on road-building and other activities on these pristine national forestlands. Led by the efforts of Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) as well as Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), 25 Senators and 121 Representatives, all have signed a letter to Secretary Vilsack. Several several state governors, leading environmental organizations, and over 100 US scientists have also sent letters. You too can urge an immediate "time out" on road building and other activities in inventoried roadless areas by sending your own letter to Secretary Vilsack.

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