Supporter,
The Department of Agriculture just said it will exempt all 9.2 million acres of roadless area—and 165,000 acres of old-growth forest—in the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
That means more logging and drilling in the world's largest intact temperate rainforest.
President Trump and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski have long called for an exemption from the Roadless Rule that has protected the Tongass — and millions more acres of National Forest System land — from road building and logging for 20 years. Now they're one significant step closer.
The impacts are staggering to consider. The Tongass is home to threatened species like the Alexander Archipelago wolf and Queen Charlotte Goshawk, which can't sustain more assaults on their habitat. And further development would threaten sites sacred to Alaska Natives.
Supporter, the good news is there's still something we can do. Senator Maria Cantwell has a bill to stop state-level exemptions to the Roadless Rule, keeping it in full force for all of our National Forests. And the public will have the opportunity to comment on the USDA's exemption through December 17th — so we will raise awareness for everyone to make their voice heard.
We need to stop the destruction of Tongass, mobilize our networks during this short public comment period, and make Sen. Cantwell's bill law so that none of our other natural lands will come so close to the brink of destruction again. Will you pledge to join the fight now?
Make your monthly donation to the Sierra Club today, so we can do absolutely everything possible to save these invaluable natural places. We'll also send you our grocery cart shopping tote — free.
The Tongass is an essential carbon sink. It stores more atmospheric carbon than any other U.S. forest. Each tree cut down removes a piece of this invaluable resource that helps slow climate change.
If Trump and his allies succeed in Alaska, it could set a precedent for states across the country to exempt themselves from the Roadless Rule, opening up millions of countless acres of pristine wild lands to development. Their goal is to open as much of our public land to clearcutting and drilling as they can.
This is despite the public voicing its support to protect this majestic place: Last fall, Alaska's First Nations activists, recreational and commercial fishermen, tourism operators, and others made their desires clear when they submitted 144,000 comments in favor of protecting the Tongass.
At the Sierra Club, this is a matter of listening to those voices most affected by this decision. It's a matter of preserving beautiful places so that we don't need to tell future generations what the natural world used to be like. And it's a matter of protecting the ancient carbon-rich forests that are one of our best tools for stopping the climate crisis, rather than destroying them.
Become a monthly donor today to protect the Tongass, our national forests, and wild places across the country.
Thank you for your vital support in building a better world.
With determination,
Lena Moffitt
Senior Director, Our Wild America
Sierra Club
Photo: CC2.0/Andrew Malone. | 
