WA Wild Coordinates Letters Urging Reps. Newhouse and Baumgartner to Uphold Roadless Forest Protections

Photo by: Andy Porter, Skagit Valley from Sauk Mountain (Inventoried Roadless Area)

On February 6, 2026, WA Wild sent separate letters from 40 constituent organizations to U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA04) and U.S. Representative Michael Baumgartner (R-WA05) urging them to cosponsor the Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2025 (H.R. 3930). This legislation would provide a permanent solution to ongoing efforts by the current U.S. Forest Service and Trump Administration to repeal the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Rule of 2001. 

The Roadless Rule protects nearly 60 million acres of remaining unlogged and unroaded national forest lands, including 2 million acres in Washington State. These treasured landscapes have provided benefits for old-growth forests, wildlife habitat, clean water, and world-class recreational opportunities for a quarter century.

The letters urge both Republican congressmen to cosponsor legislation that would provide legislative, rather than administrative, protections for roadless forests. Legislative protection would offer greater durability and certainty than agency rules that can be reversed by future administrations. Nine of the 12 other members of the Washington Congressional delegation have already cosponsored the legislation.

• The letter to Rep. Newhouse is signed by 40 elected officials, local businesses, hunting and fishing advocates, and conservation and recreation groups from across the 4th Congressional District, ranging from Twisp to Yakima and Tonasket to Wenatchee.
  
• The letter to Rep. Baumgartner is signed by 42 local stakeholders, including local elected officials from Spokane, Liberty Lake, Cheney and Medical Lake, as well as the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, Spokane Conservation District, Whistlepunk Brewing, Kettle Range Conservation Group and Bower Climbing Coalition.

Background

Photo by: Aaron Theisen, Badger Peak (Inventoried Roadless Area)

In the summer of 2025, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins initiated a process to formally repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule, a move that is expected to conclude by the end of 2026. The initial scoping period last year generated more than 600,000 comments opposing the repeal, signaling massive public pushback as we head toward the next phase of the process this spring.

The existing Roadless Rule is a balanced, common-sense policy. It allows for limited road-building in truly critical situations, such as wildfire response, public health and safety, toxic waste cleanup, existing mineral access, federal highway projects, ecosystem restoration, and habitat protection. It is also deeply popular. The rule was shaped through a two-year public process involving 600 public meetings across the country—including 28 here in Washington State—and generated 1.6 million public comments, with an overwhelming 95% in support.