The Trump administration is initiating the process to rescind a rule established in 2001 that prohibits logging, road construction, and other development activities on approximately 59 million acres of national forest land.
The U.S. Forest Service has submitted a proposal to discard the so-called roadless rule, which was enacted during the final days of President Bill Clinton's administration. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue stated that the rule has been a one-size-fits-all restriction that has hindered land managers and limited efforts to mitigate wildfire risks. "Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions — overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease — turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes," Perdue said in a statement.
Scientists attribute worsening wildfires to a combination of climate change, reduced logging, and decades of fire suppression that have led to fuel accumulation. The original 2001 rule aimed to preserve undeveloped national forest land from commercial logging and mineral leasing, prioritizing ecosystem health and water supply protection.
Perdue argued that the proposal would restore decision-making authority to local forest managers and remove obstacles to improving forest health on millions of acres.
The Forest Service will accept public comments on the proposal and a draft environmental impact statement. Officials clarified that rescinding the national designation of roadless areas does not mandate timber cutting or road construction.
The administration first signaled its intent to dismantle the rule last summer at a meeting of Western governors. Environmental groups have voiced strong opposition, warning of detrimental impacts on old-growth forests, wildlife, and water sources. Chris Krupp, an attorney for WildEarth Guardians, asserted that removing protections would disregard public sentiment and public lands.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the potential effects on Alaska's Tongass National Forest, the largest in the nation. State officials there have supported an exemption to the roadless rule, citing economic opportunities. During the latter part of Trump's first term, restrictions on logging and road-building in the Tongass were lifted, a decision later reversed by the Biden administration.
Emma Powell, Alaska Wilderness League's government affairs manager, described the Tongass as a vital ecosystem supporting salmon runs, abundant wildlife, and local economies through fisheries, tourism, and recreation.
Alex Craven, Sierra Club's forest campaign manager, challenged the administration's claim that revoking the rule would reduce wildfire threats, suggesting that increased road development could exacerbate fires. Craven stated that the rule never prevented targeted fuel reduction work by the Forest Service and vowed that environmental groups would contest the proposal.
The public comment period for the proposal closes on September 21.