The Mountaineers
UPDATE: The Roadless Rule exemption was not included in the omnibus spending bill! Thank you for speaking out to defend our wild landscapes. This will likely not be the last time we need to protect the Roadless Rule, and by lending your voice, you put this on lawmakers’ radars – now and moving forward.
Lawmakers are setting plans in motion to subvert the Roadless Rule, a key conservation tool used to protect our wild backcountry.
Here's what's going on: the Roadless Rule protects wild backcountry landscapes, like the Liberty Bell Roadless area, from timber harvesting and new road development. All in all, there are 2,647 roadless areas in 42 states, protecting recreational treasures across the country.
Unfortunately, the Roadless Rule is in jeopardy.
As Congress works to pass an omnibus spending bill (by March 23), lawmakers are trying to sneak in provisions. In the Senate, one of these provisions is a direct attack on the Roadless Rule: It would exempt Alaska from the Rule and set the precedent for other states to do the same. Because backcountry areas are such an important part of the human-powered recreation experience, this provision would be a huge setback for our community of outdoor enthusiasts.
If you want to learn more about this, check out the blog post we put together with our partners at Outdoor Alliance a few weeks back.
It's really important that your senators hear from you right now. The omnibus bill has to pass in the next few weeks, and lawmakers are deciding where they stand. This is a make-or-break issue for the outdoors.
Can you take a few minutes today to write your senators?
We've made it easy to find your senators and drafted an email you can start with. Personalizing what we've created is always advised - add that story about climbing in Washington Pass or use the interactive map in this blog to find other roadless areas where you spend time.
