The Bush administration is unleashing yet another assault on America's last wild forests, once again siding with the timber industry against the wishes of the American public. This repeal of one of the most popular and far-reaching conservation initiatives since Teddy Roosevelt is shocking even for an administration that has weakened so many environmental and public health protections.

The Roadless Rule is the most popular conservation initiative in our nation's history, having already been supported by a record-breaking 2.5 million public comments.

The Bush administration has already exempted Alaska's Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule, despite receiving at least 250,000 comments in opposition to its proposal, including comments from Staples, K.B. Homes, and Hayward Lumber—all companies that are major consumers of wood products who believe it doesn't make sense to destroy America's last wild forests. In addition, the House of Representatives recently voted 222-205 against subsidizing logging roads in the Tongass.

Enacted in January 2001, the Roadless Rule protects the last third of America's national forests while allowing new road construction in order to fight fires, ensure public safety, and allow brush clearing to protect forest health. The Roadless Rule ensures that forests will continue to provide clean drinking water, habitat for wildlife, and endless opportunities for recreation and solitude.

Unfortunately, today's anti-environmental action is consistent with almost all of the Bush administration's environmental record—when big business polluters say "jump," the administration says "how high?" On energy policy they sided with Big Oil, on clean air they sided with the utility industry, and on clean water they sided with the developers, always at the expense of public health, consumer pocketbooks, and environmental protection. Today, they're siding with the timber industry, at the expense of taxpayers, our wild forests, and all who want to enjoy those forests.

It's well past time for the administration to abandon its wrongheaded logging proposals and start protecting America's last wild forests for future generations. Keeping the Roadless Rule intact in the Lower 48 and in Alaska's Chugach and reinstating the rule in the Tongass would be a good start.

U.S. PIRG is the national lobby office for the State PIRGs. State PIRGs are state-based non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organizations.