Democrats believe that a clean environment and a high quality of life are sources of dynamism in our communities, attracting new businesses and families. We are fighting to protect our open spaces and national parks. But the Bush Administration is taking steps to roll back years of bipartisan progress on protecting our public lands.

The Democratic plan to protect open spaces includes:

Limiting logging in national forests. Democrats support responsible limits on logging in national forests and want to preserve the "roadless rule," which places one-third of national forest acreage off-limits to virtually all road building and logging. Unspoiled by human activity, roadless areas are among the last strongholds of the original American landscape. 

Protecting open space. Democrats are fighting for new funds to help states and communities protect parks and open space. These resources have helped protect thousands of farms, forests, and parks in our cities, suburbs, and countryside. 

Preventing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. President Bush is determined to sell the resources of the refuge to oil and gas companies. The resulting development will industrialize the refuge and forever degrade its pristine ecosystem. Democrats are fighting to protect this precious natural resource.

Expanding farmland conservation. Democrats are fighting to fund farmland conservation programs that improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, and provide habitat for numerous wildlife species.