Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration is moving to eliminate a 25-year-old federal rule that limits road construction, logging and other development across millions of acres of national forest land.
The U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday formally proposed rescinding the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The Agriculture Department says the change would return more authority to local forest managers, who could approve projects aimed at reducing overgrowth, insect damage and wildfire hazards.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the current rule has prevented managers from taking steps needed to improve forest health. The administration argues that removing the restrictions would make it easier to thin forests and respond to dangerous conditions.
Environmental groups strongly dispute that reasoning. The Natural Resources Defense Council says the rollback could expose roughly 45 million acres to new roads and development, threatening wildlife habitat, drinking-water sources and recreation areas. Research cited by conservation groups has found wildfires are more likely to start near roads than in roadless forests because of increased human activity.
The Roadless Rule covers about 30% of National Forest System lands, although state-specific protections in Colorado and Idaho reduce the acreage directly affected by the federal change.
The Forest Service is accepting public comments on the proposal through September 21.
Sources
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