Conservation Group Hosts 'Public Hearings' on Tongass Roadless Rule

SEACC steps in as federal government skips public meetings on potential changes to logging protections in nation's largest national forest

Apr. 1, 2026 at 11:20pm

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The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) is hosting a series of community 'public hearings' this month on the Tongass National Forest's roadless rule, a federal protection that limits new road construction and large-scale logging across millions of acres of Southeast Alaska wilderness. SEACC is collecting public testimony and submitting it directly into the federal record as the U.S. Forest Service weighs potential changes to those protections, after learning the Forest Service had no plans to hold its own public meetings.

Why it matters

The Tongass National Forest is the nation's largest national forest and home to Indigenous communities with deep ties to the land. The roadless rule has shaped the region's economy and way of life, impacting subsistence uses, hunting, fishing, tourism, and cultural resources. Any changes to the rule could have significant implications for Southeast Alaska.

The details

SEACC plans to open each event with a panel discussion before taking public testimony, featuring tribal leaders, business owners, and representatives of hunting, fishing and subsistence interests. The group will record and transcribe all testimony and submit it as part of the official public record. The federal government is expected to publish a draft environmental impact statement on the roadless rule in late April, which would open a 30-day public comment period.

  • SEACC is hosting public hearings in Juneau on April 1, in Kake on April 3, and in Klawock on April 8.
  • The federal government is expected to publish a draft environmental impact statement on the roadless rule in late April, which would open a 30-day public comment period.

The players

Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC)

A conservation group hosting a series of community 'public hearings' on the Tongass National Forest's roadless rule.

U.S. Forest Service

The federal agency weighing potential changes to the Tongass roadless rule protections.

Mike Jones

President of the Organized Village of Kasaan, participating in the Juneau public hearing panel.

Aidan Hood

Co-president of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, participating in the Juneau public hearing panel.

Joel Jackson

President of the Organized Village of Kake, participating in the Kake public hearing.

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What they’re saying

“Alaskans really do depend upon these wild places.”

— Nathan Newcomer, SEACC's Tongass campaigner

“The Tongass is the homelands of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. They've been stewards of this land far longer than anybody else, and so they know how to represent what's best for the forest.”

— Nathan Newcomer, SEACC's Tongass campaigner

“Having strong public support and turnout at these public hearings will be a sign of a win.”

— Nathan Newcomer, SEACC's Tongass campaigner

What’s next

The federal government is expected to publish a draft environmental impact statement on the roadless rule in late April, which would open a 30-day public comment period.

The takeaway

The Tongass National Forest is a vital resource for Indigenous communities, subsistence users, and the regional economy in Southeast Alaska. Any changes to the roadless rule protections could have far-reaching impacts, making the public hearings organized by SEACC an important opportunity for local voices to be heard.