The Trump administration has initiated a process to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a measure that has prohibited road construction and timber harvesting on nearly 45 million acres of National Forest System lands for over two decades. The Department of Agriculture, which oversees the U.S. Forest Service, filed the proposed rule and a draft environmental impact statement Tuesday, stating the existing regulation is a "one-size-fits-all restriction" that hinders land managers and impedes efforts to reduce wildfire risk.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins asserted that outdated restrictions have prevented necessary treatments in millions of acres of forest, contributing to conditions that increase wildfire risk. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz added that active forest management is essential, noting that over 40% of inventoried roadless areas, primarily in the West, face high or very high wildfire hazard potential, with limited treatments applied.
The administration contends that repealing the rule would shift more decision-making to local forest managers, allowing them to consider specific local conditions. However, the proposed change itself would not immediately authorize any new road construction or logging projects.
Environmental groups have voiced strong opposition, warning of significant negative impacts on forests, wildlife, and water resources. Alex Craven of the Sierra Club Forest Campaign stated that the Roadless Rule is crucial for protecting the nation's remaining wild national forests from industrial development, highlighting their importance as critical wildlife habitat and providers of clean air and water. David Dreher of the National Wildlife Federation emphasized the role of these roadless areas in supporting intact habitats, maintaining water supplies, and contributing to local economies through outdoor recreation.
A new analysis published in the journal Biological Conservation by ecologists and forest management experts suggests that rescinding the Roadless Rule would degrade forest ecosystem functions, increase fire risk, and be "grossly uneconomic." The authors recommended strengthening the rule by enacting the Roadless Area Conservation Act into federal law.
Supporters of the repeal argue that the U.S. Forest Service lacked the legal authority to implement the Roadless Rule and that it has complicated infrastructure and energy projects in rural communities. The Inside Passage Electric Cooperative in Alaska, for instance, has stated the rule impedes its ability to pursue lower-cost hydroelectric and geothermal energy projects. Republican governors in several Western states, including Utah and Wyoming, have expressed support for the repeal, advocating for land management decisions to be made at the state and local levels.
The public will have 30 days to comment on the proposed rule and draft environmental statement before it can be finalized, with the comment period closing on September 21. Experts anticipate that litigation will likely follow the publication of a final rule.