USDA Seeks Rollback of Roadless Rule Across 45 Million Acres

The Trump administration, led by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, has initiated formal steps to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects over 44 million acres of national forest lands from road construction, logging, and other development. The administration argues that rescinding the rule will allow for better forest management, including wildfire risk reduction and expanded timber production, aiming to promote economic growth in rural America. However, environmental groups and conservation organizations warn that this rollback threatens critical wildlife habitats, clean water sources, and the ecosystems of adjacent national parks, potentially increasing industrial logging, roadbuilding, and oil and gas leasing. The public comment period on the proposed rescission began in late August and will end in mid-September, with the USDA preparing an environmental impact statement to assess the effects of the rule's elimination. This move is consistent with President Trump's broader agenda to reduce environmental regulations, despite opposition from tribes and advocacy groups concerned about ecological and cultural impacts, especially in areas such as Alaska's Tongass National Forest. The controversy highlights the tension between economic interests and conservation efforts surrounding management of America's public lands.