Roadless Rule Repeal
Trump Administration Seeks to Revoke National Forest Roadless Rule, Drawing Environmental Warnings
The Trump administration is moving to scrap a 25-year-old rule that has kept nearly 59 million acres of national forest land off-limits to roads and development, according to Press Democrat. The U.S. Forest Service filed the proposal this week, setting up one of the most significant rollbacks of federal forest protections in a generation.
The roadless rule, put in place in the final days of President Bill Clinton's term in 2001, currently shields about 30% of all national forest land across the country. A public comment period is open until September 21, Boston Herald reported.
Agriculture Secretary Calls 25-Year Rule a Failure
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins drove the push to end the rule. She called it a failure and said it stripped local forest managers of the authority they need to do their jobs, according to Daily News. Her argument is that decisions about forests should be made closer to the ground — not set by a blanket national rule.
The proposal does not order logging or road building. It simply removes the national-level protection, according to Pilot Online. That means each national forest would no longer be automatically shielded from development under this rule.
What the Roadless Rule Has Protected for Decades
The roadless rule has blocked road construction and most timber cutting on 59 million acres since 2001. Those lands include old-growth forests, key wildlife habitat, and watersheds that supply drinking water to millions of Americans, WRAL reported.
The rule has survived multiple legal and political challenges over the past 25 years. Presidents on both sides have tried to weaken or work around it, but it remained largely intact — until now, according to Greeley Tribune.
Environmentalists Warn of Harm to Forests and Water
Conservation groups say ending the rule would open pristine land to logging, mining, and drilling. They warn it could damage old-growth forests that took centuries to grow and harm wildlife that depends on undisturbed habitat, according to Daily Camera.
Water supply is also at risk, environmentalists say. Many of the 59 million protected acres sit in headwaters — the high-elevation zones where rivers begin. Road building in these areas can cause erosion and muddy the water supplies that communities downstream rely on, Capital Gazette reported.
Public Has Until September 21 to Weigh In
The Forest Service opened a public comment period after filing the proposal. Anyone can submit feedback before the September 21 deadline, according to SB Sun. Past rulemakings on roadless areas have drawn millions of public comments.
The comment period is a required step before any federal rule can be finalized. After the deadline, the agency will review the input before moving forward. Legal challenges from environmental groups are widely expected if the rule is repealed, Press Telegram reported.
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