
(Photo: Riley)
Trump administration wants to use Tongass National Forest for logging
President Trump has announced his plan to lift protections for the Tongass National Forest in Alaska that will open 16.7 million acres to development projects and logging. The Tongass National Forest faces being stripped of protection laws that safeguarded the world’s largest intact temperate rainforests for nearly 20 years.
The new plan confirms that 9.3 million acres of forest will be open for road building starting Thursday. This once protected land features important natural resources including imposing fjords with a healthy population of salmon, Sitka spruce, Western hemlock, red cedar, and yellow cedar.
The Tongass stores more carbon per acre than almost any other forest on the planet, which makes preserving it a matter of real urgency in the fight against climate change. Learn more. ⬇️ https://t.co/Z1yBLMkCxG
— NRDC 🌎🏡 (@NRDC) October 28, 2020
The Tongass National Forest has a pivotal role as a massive carbon sink and a habitat for many species of animals including Sitka black-tailed deer, Pacific salmon, Pacific trout, and the highest density of brown bears in North America. This forest habitat is America’s last climate sanctuary and the trees absorb carbon while producing more oxygen.
The Trump administration has claimed to commit to planting more trees to combat climate change with the One Trillion Tree initiative as of last week during the same time he revealed his plans on expanding login in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Several of these plans are blocked by federal judges for being illegal and the Trump administrations seem to be backing down from a 1.8 million-acre timber sale sourced from the Tongass Prince of Wales Island.
The Alaska economy is tanking from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown that had impacted the tourism rate of 1.4 million cruise tourists during the summer down to just 48 passengers. This timber deal might seem to provide short-term economic relief for the region but this deal could be a massive burden on taxpayers of Alaska.
A long-standing federal mandate costs Alaska taxpayers millions every year because companies profit from any timber sale because Forest Service covers harvesters’ costs including road construction. The timber program of Tongass lost roughly $1.7 billion over the last 40 years according to a Taxpayer for Common Sense analysis of the Forest Service’s accounts.
-
Credit: Pexels President Trump pushes aggressive tariff strategy to boost American manufacturing and reduce reliance on China amid rising...
-
A shocking security blunder by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz sparks White House chaos as insiders call for resignations...
-
Russia launches deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukraine just hours after Trump calls on Putin to negotiate a...
-
Credit: Unsplash Trump’s AI-Generated Video Showcasing a Glamorous Future for Gaza Sparks Global Controversy and Debate Former President Donald...
-
Credit: Pixabay President Trump’s Press Conference Takes Unexpected Turn After Tragic Plane Crash President Donald Trump took to the...
-
In a bold move signaling his continued political influence, former President Donald Trump’s administration has dismissed over a dozen...
-
Ivanka Trump Warns Against Fake Crypto Coin Using Her Name Ivanka Trump, daughter of President Donald Trump, is cautioning...
-
Donald Trump’s no-filter style dominates his first TV interview as he critiques Biden and teases bold plans President Donald...
-
Discover the ambitious goals and forecasts Trump has set for the year 2025 With the countdown to his return...
-
Wit meets politics as AOC fires back at Trump with a clever comeback. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is showing...
-
Former President Bill Clinton has shared his perspective on one of the most discussed moments in recent political history—Hillary...
-
Joe Biden’s Sudden Pardon for Hunter Raises Eyebrows and Divides Opinion on Justice System Integrity In a surprising and...