McClellan Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Roadless Rule with SELC, Kaine, and Conservation Partners

Richmond, Va. - On Monday, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) joined the Southern Environmental Law Center, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), the Virginia Wilderness Committee and conservation partners from throughout the state to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a landmark policy that protects 45 million acres of the nation's wildest national forest lands, including nearly 400,000 acres of Virginia - more than any other state east of the Mississippi River.

But Monday's anniversary comes as the Roadless Rule is facing an existential threat. The U.S. Forest Service is currently pushing to get rid of the rule, a misguided move that would open these spectacular public lands up to unnecessary roadbuilding, logging, and harmful development. The agency's plan is extremely unpopular - more than 600,000 people commented on the proposal last fall, with an estimated 99 percent of the comments opposing the Forest Service's plan to rescind the Roadless Rule.

Virginia's roadless areas boast world-class hiking and mountain biking trails, provide clean drinking water to communities downstream, are home to crystal clear trout streams, and support local economies that depend on outdoor recreation and tourism dollars. The Roadless Rule is built on decades of work by people across the country and has broad, bipartisan support from people all over the country, in both rural and urban areas, and from all different backgrounds.

The Southern Environmental Law Center recently launched a campaign to defend the Roadless Rule. Supporters of our public lands can ask their Senators and Representatives to push back on the Forest Service's proposal to get rid of the Roadless Rule at savetheroadlessrule.org.

"Without Roadless Rule protections, the James and Potomac Rivers could face increased contamination. These waterways flow into the Chesapeake Bay, so polluting them could then devastate biodiversity in the region, worsen water quality and more," said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan. "For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has protected nearly 400,000 acres of forest in Virginia alone from harmful development. Now, the rule is under attack, and Virginia must join those on the frontlines to fight back against this latest rollback of progress. I'll continue to advocate for forward-thinking policies that put our planet, communities and future generations first."

"It's almost impossible to overstate the importance of the Roadless Rule-and it's especially important here in Virginia, where it covers nearly 400,000 acres of magnificent national forest land." said SELC Virginia Office Director Sarah Francisco. "Throughout the last 25 years, Virginia has led the way in defending the Roadless Rule from attacks, and I know Virginians will continue to lead the way in fighting to protect some of our last wild forests."

"These landscapes quietly perform some of the most important services we rely on every day. Chief among them is water: if we cut roads into these landscapes, we trade long-term, clean water security for short-term extraction - not a good deal for Virginia," Ellen Stuart-Haentjens, Executive Director of the Virginia Wilderness Committee, said. "For safe drinking water across the Commonwealth, for the health of our rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, for rural economies, for wildlife, and for future Virginians who deserve to inherit wild places worth protecting, we must stand firm in defense of the Roadless Rule."

"The Roadless Rule has been an amazing success story-protecting 45 million acres of national lands nationwide, including 400,000 acres in Virginia. We must protect these lands and prevent the rollback of this rule," said Senator Tim Kaine. "I will keep pushing for legislation to codify the rule and safeguard other wilderness areas in the Commonwealth"