U.S. PUBLIC LANDS ROADLESS RULE SURVEY MEMO REPORT

Prepared for The Pew Charitable Trusts by SSRS - March 2019

U.S. PUBLIC LANDS ROADLESS RULES SURVEY MEMO REPORT | THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS | MARCH 2019

OVERVIEW

The Pew Charitable Trusts contacted SSRS to conduct a

survey on the support for (or opposition to) the 2001

Roadless Area Conservation Rule, and whether the

public thinks that states should be allowed to be

exempt from the national policy. Findings are based

on a nationally representative sample.

The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule prohibited

road construction and timber harvesting on 58.5

million acres of National Forest System lands. These

federal lands are identified by the U.S. Forest Service

as having no existing roads and being suitable for

conservation.

KEY FINDINGS

Three-fourths of the general public support the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

After being presented with a description of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, respondents were

asked whether they supported or opposed the policy. Overall, three out of four respondents (75%) said they

support it, while only 16% oppose it.

Interestingly, those in rural areas are just as likely to support the policy as those in non-rural areas (77% vs.

75%, respectively). Respondents’ geographic region had little impact on their support for (or opposition to)

the policy.

LAND1. Eighteen years ago, the U.S. Forest Service created a conservation policy that protected the last one-third of America’s undeveloped

national forest lands from road-building and most forms of industrial activity. Supporters of the conservation policy say it is important to

protect water quality, wildlife, and recreational opportunities. Opponents say that it is a one-size fits all policy that does not provide

federal land management officials flexibility to conduct management activities or generate economic benefits through logging and other

activities. Do you support or oppose this national conservation policy?

Support

75%

Oppose

16%

Don’t know/

Refused

SUPPORT/OPPOSE 2001 ROADLESS AREA CONSERVATION RULE

“Roadless Area Final Rule.” United States Department of Agriculture – Forest Service, 21 January 2001, www.fs.usda.gov/roadmain/roadless/2001roadlessrule.

U.S. PUBLIC LANDS ROADLESS RULE SURVEY MEMO REPORT

Prepared for The Pew Charitable Trusts by SSRS - March 2019

U.S. PUBLIC LANDS ROADLESS RULES SURVEY MEMO REPORT | THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS | MARCH 2019

There is majority support for the policy across both party and political views.

Democrats are the most likely to support the policy (87%), followed by Independents (77%). Two-thirds

of Republicans (65%) also support the policy. Levels of support by political views (Liberal, Moderate, and

Conservative) are very similar to levels of support by party.

LAND1. Do you support or oppose this national conservation policy?

The majority (59%) also believe that the federal

government should not exempt states from the

national rule.

More than half (59%) believe a state should not be

exempted from the rule, while one-third (34%)

believe they should be. Democrats are most likely

to say that states should not be exempted (68%),

though a majority of Republicans (51%) agree.

Methodology

This study was conducted for The Pew Charitable Trusts via

telephone by SSRS on its Omnibus survey platform. The SSRS

Omnibus is a national, weekly, dual-frame bilingual telephone

survey. Interviews were conducted from February 19

– February

22, 2019 among a sample of 607 respondents in English (584)

and Spanish (23). Telephone interviews were conducted by

landline (241) and cell phone (366, including 225 without a

landline phone). The SSRS Omnibus sample is designed to

represent the adult U.S. population. The SSRS Omnibus uses a

fully-replicated, stratified, single-stage, random-digit-dialing

(RDD) sample of landline telephone households, and randomly

generated cell phone numbers. Sample telephone numbers are

computer-generated and loaded into on-line sample files

accessed directly by the computer-assisted telephone

interviewing (CATI) system. The margin of error with design

effect for total respondents is +/-4.89% at the 95% confidence

level. All SSRS Omnibus data are weighted to represent the

target population.

12%

16%

15%

23%

75%

87%

77%

65%

Overall Democrats Independents Republicans

SUPPORT BY POLITICAL PARTY

Support

Oppose

Don’t know/Refused

Should not

exempted

59%

Should

allow a

state to be

exempted

34%

Don’t

know/

Refused

PUBLIC'S VIEWS OF POSSIBLE

RULE EXEMPTION

LAND2. Some governors want exemptions from this conservation policy for the

national forest lands in their state. I’m going to read you two statements on this

and ask which of them comes closest to your view. First, some (people say that

the US Forest Service should allow a state to be exempted from the policy

because it harms a state’s ability to manage and develop its natural resources.

An exemption would allow a state to decide on its own whether to allow road-

building, logging, forest improvement projects, and other development in

national forests within its borders). Second, other (people say that the US Forest

Service should not exempt a state from the conservation policy because these are

national forests that benefit all Americans and do not belong to the state. If the

policy is weakened it will allow states to prioritize the interests of logging and

mining industries over tourism, fishing, and conservation).

Percentages may not add to

100 percent due to rounding.