MEDIA ADVISORY: Local Organizations Host Community Meeting on Rollback of Public Lands Protection

SEATTLE - On Friday, April 17, the Sierra Club, Washington Trails Association, The Wilderness Society, The Mountaineers, and additional partner organizations will be joined by elected officials, representatives of Tribal governments, conservation and outdoor recreation groups, and concerned members of the public at a community meeting on the need to preserve the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (Roadless Rule).

Last year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the federal government plans to eliminate the Roadless Rule, which protects about one-third of our national forests from new road construction, large-scale logging, and mining. We expect the federal government to take the next step in eliminating the Roadless Rule within the next month by releasing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and opening the process for public comments. It is likely that the Trump administration will provide the public with as little as 30 days to comment on this proposed change. The administration is unlikely to host any public meetings on this important issue.

The community meeting on Friday will help address the lack of an adequate public comment process. For comparison, the Roadless Rule was enacted in 2001 following an extensive public participation process that included more than 600 public hearings nationwide and prompted 1.6 million public comments, 95% of which were in favor of protecting roadless areas. Public testimonies at the meeting will be recorded and submitted as part of the official rulemaking process.

WHO : Community meeting sponsors include: American Whitewater, Cascade Forest Conservancy, Conservation Northwest, Sierra Club Washington Chapter, The Mountaineers, The Wilderness Society, Washington Trails Association, and Washington Wild

WHEN : Friday, April 17, 2026 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm PT

WHERE : The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115

MORE BACKGROUND:

• The Roadless Rule protects some of our state's most beloved outdoor destinations, including Washington Pass along Highway 20, Baker Lake, Lake Chelan, Quinault Lake, Silver Star Mountain, and more. There are about 4,000 miles of backcountry trails in areas protected by the Roadless Rule in Washington state.
• National forests provide clean drinking water for 80 million Americans. Leavenworth, Kittitas County, Walla Walla, and other communities in Washington rely on drinking water from forests protected by the Roadless Rule.
• Forests, wetlands, canyons, and other undeveloped lands protected by the rule are home to many threatened and endangered species, including grizzly bears, wolves, and salmon.
• Roadless areas are spread across Washington's six national forests. This map from our partners at Outdoor Alliance shows the location of Roadless Areas threatened by the repeal of the Roadless Rule.

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

About Washington Trails Association

Washington Trails Association (WTA) is the nation's leading state-based hiking and trail maintenance organization powered by the passion and dedication of hikers. Every year over 5 million outdoor enthusiasts come to us for education, inspiration and opportunities to protect and advocate for public lands. Together we work to ensure that Washington's trails remain sustainable and accessible to everyone for generations to come. By fostering a welcoming environment and engaging with the hiking community, WTA is committed to nurturing an inclusive organization where everyone feels valued, represented and able to contribute to the future of trails. For more information, visit wta.org .

About The Wilderness Society

The Wilderness Society has a mission to unite people to protect America's wild places. Since 1935, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect nearly 112 million acres of wilderness in 44 states. We have been at the forefront of nearly every major public lands victory. The Wilderness Society has a presence on Capitol Hill and in communities across the nation. We have regional offices in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, California, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Washington and Wyoming. For more information, visit wilderness.org .

About The Mountaineers

The Mountaineers is a nonprofit outdoor community of 17,000 active members in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1906, we've been getting people of all ages outside safely and responsibly for 120 years. We host hundreds of monthly courses and activities - all led by volunteers - to offer ways to get outside and connect with others and the natural world. We think it's important to introduce people to the outdoors early and often, and we work to protect the outdoor experience for future generations. We believe everyone should feel belonging in the outdoors, and we're striving to connect people, especially those who have been historically excluded, with the transformative power of outdoor experiences. For more information, visit mountaineers.org .