Conservation groups are hosting public meetings across Montana about a possible repeal of the Roadless Rule, which prohibits commercial logging and road building on about 59 million acres of public land.

Hilary Eisen, federal policy director for Wild Montana, said they're providing information on the rule's impact on Montana's national forests.

"Trying to take this big national policy down to the local level of, how does this affect the Lolo National Forest, the Kootenai National Forest," she said. "What does it mean for you as a person who cares about this place?"

Eisen said the meetings fill the gap left by the U.S. Forest Service's lack of public hearings. There are meetings tonight in Bozeman and Friday night in Helena, following previous meetings in Kalispell, Libby, Missoula, Hamilton and Butte.

The Trump administration has said repealing the Roadless Rule will ramp up U.S. timber production and help with wildfire suppression.

Eisen said the timber industry in Montana hasn't asked for this repeal, and there is plenty of timber in more accessible forests. She added that most areas in Montana affected by the repeal are in remote backcountry that doesn't have roads. She said the meetings offer a chance to learn more about the rule, and turnout so far has been strong.

"The attendance demonstrates that people really care about this issue and they want the opportunity to speak," she said. "Even if they don't support the roadless rule, they want to be heard."

Eisen said Wild Montana will send full transcripts of the meetings to the U.S. Forest Service. She said she opposes rescinding the Roadless Rule, fearing harm to wildlife, water quality and recreation in Montana.

She warned that building roads and logging on these protected lands could set a dangerous precedent.

"You never know what conditions will be in the future," she said, "as to, like, maybe it doesn't make sense now or never has in the past to log these areas, but who knows what the future would bring. And once the door's open, it's hard to close it."

A rule proposal and draft Environmental Impact Statement are expected soon, with a final decision late this year.

Source: Public News Service