On December 12, 2002, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco upheld the Clinton Administration’s Roadless Area Conservation Rules, which prevent road construction, timber harvesting, and other activities in over 25% of the National Forest System. The decision was a setback for WLF, which filed a brief urging the court to uphold the trial court’s preliminary injunction against implementation of the rules. WLF argued that the Clinton Administration had adopted the rules in violation of procedural requirements imposed under environmental laws. WLF also argued that the rules are seriously flawed and will have catastrophic environmental impacts.