FOREST SERVICE POSTS ROADLESS AREA MAPS ON WEBSITE

 WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2000 -- Maps displaying the location of inventoried
roadless areas and other national forest system land by state were posted
Tuesday on the U.S. Forest Service=92s roadless Web site,
www.roadless.fs.fed.us

A table provided with the maps includes acreage totals for roadless areas and
other national forest system land.  The maps also show all federal wildernes
areas.  

By early February, additional maps of every national forest and grassland
with inventoried roadless areas will be available on the Web site.  The maps
will display areas where road construction and reconstruction are currently
allowed.

 The Forest Service is developing a proposed rule and a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) for various future management alternatives for 54
million acres of roadless areas on national forests and grasslands.  The
proposed rule and DEIS are scheduled for public review and comment in early
May, 2000.