Assessing the Economic Impact of Biden Restricting Logging in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reinstated restrictions on road-building and logging in the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in southeast Alaska. This is the latest development in the ongoing dispute over the Tongass. The USDA announced in late 2021 that it would repeal a Trump-era exemption from the “roadless rule.” The agency finalized this plan on Wednesday and it will take effect once it is published in the Federal Register, which is expected on Friday. The Tongass, covering an area equivalent to West Virginia, is a rainforest and home to rugged coastal islands, glaciers, and wildlife such as bears, wolves, bald eagles, and salmon.

When Joe Biden took office, we all knew he was going to do his best to hurt industries like oil and logging, but how much damage is his logging restricting doing to a state that’s one of America’s biggest sources of trees? For more information, Lars speaks with US Senator representing Alaska, Republican Dan Sullivan.