Federal Appeals Court Upholds Roadless Area Protections!
 Roadless areas, like much much of the Uinta National Forest in Utah, will again be protected. Credit: Teresa Prendusi/USFS  

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last week affirmed protection for almost 50 million acres of national forests and grasslands from new road building, logging, and development.

Audubon joined four states and 18 other national and regional environmental and conservation groups in successfully challenging the 2005 Bush Administration rule that would have opened millions of acres of national forests and grasslands to development.

The Roadless Rule, one of the most popular environmental rules, was originally adopted at the end of the Clinton Administration; however, the Bush administration sought to repeal it and adopt instead a rule that would have allowed the states to permit development in national forests and grasslands. Due to this recent court victory, these areas will again be off limits to development.

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