Alaska Rainforest Conservation Act

H.R. 979, the Alaska Rainforest Conservation Act, seeks to expand federal protections for millions of acres of public land within the Chugach and Tongass National Forests in Alaska. The bill would designate specific areas as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System and classify several local waterways as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers.

If enacted, this legislation would restrict commercial activities such as logging, mining, and road construction in the designated areas to preserve the region's old-growth ecosystems. For citizens, this means these lands would be permanently set aside for conservation, watershed protection, and primitive recreation, while certain industrial uses would be prohibited to maintain the forests' natural state.