The Biden administration appears poised to reinstate a rule dating back to the Clinton White House that prohibits new roads in the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska.
President Donald Trump had ended the protections for the forest three months before leaving office.
RELATED: Trump administration will eliminate roadless protections for Alaska’s Tongass forest
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, parent agency of the National Forest Service, has published a regulatory notice that it plans to “repeal or replace” a Trump administration regulation from October that removed Roadless Rule restrictions in the Tongass.
The notice says USDA is proposing the change to be consistent with President Biden’s executive orders on climate.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
