Trump Plans Repeal of Roadless Rule for Forests

The Trump administration has announced plans to rescind the 2001 'roadless rule,' a policy that protected nearly 58–59 million acres of national forest land from road construction, logging, and development. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins argued that the rule is outdated and impedes effective wildfire management and timber production. The proposed rollback, unveiled at a Western Governors Association meeting, received support from some Western lawmakers but strong opposition from environmental groups, who view it as a threat to wilderness, wildlife, and water, and have vowed to challenge it in court. The change would impact about 30% of the National Forest System, including Alaska's Tongass National Forest and major areas in Idaho, Montana, Colorado, and Utah. Conservationists defend the rule as a landmark with widespread public backing, while critics of the rule's removal say it favors the timber industry. The announcement signals a major shift in U.S. public lands policy and is expected to trigger significant legal and political disputes.