In August 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published a Notice of Intent to undertake a state-specific rulemaking process to amend the 2001 Roadless Rule for the Tongass National Forest in Alaska. The roadless rulemaking process aims to develop a state-specific rule for managing inventoried roadless areas in the Tongass National Forest, substituting the nationwide 2001 Roadless Rule for one that addresses unique considerations for forest management and community needs in Southeast Alaska.
The State of Alaska convened the Alaska Roadless Rule Citizen’s Advisory Committee, composed of diverse stakeholders representing timber, mining, energy, fishing, conservation, Native corporation, tribal, tourism, and community interests. Former Alaska Governor Bill Walker appointed the CAC to assist the State in fulfilling its role as a Cooperating Agency with the U.S. Forest Service. The group was charged with developing options for the State’s consideration and possible inclusion in the National Environmental Policy Act review process. The CAC’s options were developed to be considered in addition to the “bookends” of keeping the 2001 Roadless Rule in effect in Alaska on one end, and fully exempting the Tongass from the Rule on the other end. Together, the group developed a range of options for consideration.
CAC Options Report
Access the final CAC report here, summarizing options for consideration in the State's process.
Summary of Input on the Draft Environmental Input Statement
Access a summary of CAC input on the Draft Environmental Input and preferred alternative for the Roadless Rule. This summary does not reflect a summary of Committee comments, but does reflect a summary of individual Committee member input on the DEIS, and was used to inform the State’s process.