The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the Trump administration is seeking to eliminate the roadless rule, a regulation established 25 years ago that prevents road construction and logging on approximately 45 million acres of national forest land. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins stated that the rule has contributed to overgrown and diseased forests vulnerable to severe wildfires by restricting where the U.S. Forest Service can construct roads and manage timber resources. The administration indicated that repealing the rule would shift decision-making authority to states and local communities rather than maintaining national-level restrictions.
Forest science researchers have disputed the administration’s wildfire claims. More than 30 leading forest scientists published a letter challenging the proposal’s assumptions, finding that across Forest Service lands over the past three decades, wildfire ignition density was actually lowest in wilderness and roadless areas. The research indicated that the highest concentrations of wildfire ignitions occurred near roads, and the National Interagency Fire Center reported that nearly 85 percent of wildfires result from human causes.
Wildlife and conservation groups have raised concerns about impacts to endangered species and their habitats. Research shows that 57 percent of species of conservation concern depend on habitat within roadless areas. Environmental organizations warn that road construction fragments wildlife habitat and disrupts migration routes for species including elk and pronghorn. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where the rule protects nearly 10 million acres, conservation leaders expressed concern that opening roadless areas to development could undermine recent progress in grizzly bear recovery by eliminating secure habitat.
Public opposition to the proposal has been substantial. A public comment period last fall yielded over 625,000 comments, with 99 percent opposing the rescission. A national survey found that 76 percent of likely voters supported maintaining the rule, and polling in Montana showed broad bipartisan support for keeping roadless protections in place. Environmental law organizations have indicated they plan legal action if the proposal moves forward. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be published August 20, with a public comment period extending through September 21.
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