May
10, 2006. As part of his participation in the Roadless
Area Conservation National Advisory Committee (RACNAC), WildLaw
Senior Policy Director Ray Vaughan worked with the rest
of the RACNAC during their first meeting reviewing
petitions from the Governors of Virginia, North
Carolina and South Carolina. The Committee
recommended acceptance of all three petitions by the
Secretary of Agriculture, thus moving a total of
575,000 acres of the last wild places in the Southeast
closer to permanent protection.
“I’m exceptionally pleased at how the Advisory
Committee has been able to resolve issues and recommend
that the Secretary accept the three petitions. It’s a
great day for Southern Appalachian roadless areas,”
said Ray Vaughan, Senior Director of Policy and
Programs at WildLaw.
Although the Committee’s task was difficult, this
move further reflects what citizens have expressed time
and time again – that these last wild pieces of our
country’s national forests should be protected for
future generations and for the values they hold.
The RACNAC is a committee made up of diverse
interests: conservation groups, the timber industry,
recreation interests, and elected officials. The
Committee’s purpose is to review governor petitions for
roadless conservation area protection and make a
recommendation to move the petitions forward.
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