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Alaska Wilderness League
AWL Response to DEIS on Roadless Rule
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: August 18, 2026
Contact: Anja Semanco | anja@alaskawild.org | 724-967-2777
Washington, D.C. — Today, following the administration’s announcement of a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on the future of the Roadless Rule, Alaska Wilderness League is calling on decision-makers to uphold long-standing protections for some of the nation’s most wild and irreplaceable forests, including the Tongass and Chugach National Forests.
The Roadless Rule has protected nearly 60 million acres of national forest lands across the country for more than two decades, protecting wildlife habitat, clean water, and climate resilience. Now, those protections face renewed uncertainty.
“America’s last great backcountry forests are not bargaining chips,” said Emma Powell, Government Affairs Manager at Alaska Wilderness League. “The Tongass and Chugach National Forests are global treasures, home to thriving salmon runs, abundant wildlife, outdoor enthusiasts from all over our nation, and communities whose cultures and livelihoods are deeply tied to healthy, intact forests. From fisheries to tourism and outdoor recreation, these landscapes also support thousands of jobs and generate billions in economic activity each year. Rescinding Roadless Rule protections puts these irreplaceable public lands at risk.”
The Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest on Earth, plays a critical role in storing carbon and helping to mitigate the climate crisis. The Chugach National Forest, spanning mountains, glaciers, and coastal ecosystems, supports vital wildlife habitat and world-renowned recreation opportunities.
Opening these forests to road building and industrial logging would fragment critical habitat, threaten subsistence resources, and undermine the natural systems that Alaskans—and people across the country—depend on.
Alaska Wilderness League encourages the public to review the DEIS and submit comments by September 21, 2026 in support of protecting the Tongass and Chugach National Forests for future generations.
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