U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule, a move the Department of Agriculture (USDA) says will remove longstanding restrictions on road construction and timber harvesting across nearly 59 million acres of the National Forest System.
The Roadless Rule, enacted in 2001, prohibited most road building and timber harvesting in designated roadless areas, which account for about 30% of all National Forest System lands. According to the USDA, these restrictions have limited the agency’s ability to manage forests for wildfire prevention and responsible timber production. Secretary Rollins described the rule as “overly restrictive” and argued that it has caused “real harm to millions of acres of our national forests” by impeding necessary forest management activities.
The Roadless Rule was put into place in 2001 to provide lasting protection for the wildest and most undeveloped areas within the National Forest System, known as “inventoried roadless areas.” The primary goals were to:
- Protect critical wildlife habitat: These areas support more than 1,600 threatened, endangered, or sensitive plant and animal species by preserving large, uninterrupted tracts of forest.
- Prevent environmental harm: By limiting road construction and timber harvesting, the rule aimed to reduce erosion, water pollution, species loss, and the spread of invasive species that can result from increased human access and development.
- Preserve natural and recreational values: The rule safeguarded scenic and pristine landscapes for recreation, solitude, and enjoyment by future generations, keeping these spaces free from vehicle traffic, noise, and industrial activity.
- Reduce taxpayer burden: With 386,000 miles of roads already in national forests and a $4.5 billion maintenance backlog, the rule helped limit additional costs associated with building and maintaining new roads in remote areas.
The decision to rescind the Roadless Rule aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order 14192, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” which aims to reduce regulatory barriers for American businesses.
The USDA cited nearly 60% of Forest Service land was restricted in Utah, 58% in Montana and 92% in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States.
The Department also raised economic concerns, pointing out that Utah attributes a 25% decline in forestry sector economic development to the rule’s restrictions. In practical terms, this means the rule significantly curtailed activities such as timber harvesting, road construction, and other forest management operations on national forest lands in Utah.
