Administration to Rescind “Roadless Rule”

Administration to Rescind “Roadless Rule”

On June 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its plan to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, commonly known as the “Roadless Rule.” This rule had protected approximately 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas within national forests across the United States from most road construction and timber harvesting.

What is the Roadless Rule?

The Roadless Rule, established in the final days of the Clinton administration, was a landmark conservation policy that aimed to preserve undeveloped, wild areas within national forests. It prohibited road construction, road reconstruction and commercial timber harvesting in designated Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs). The rule was implemented after extensive public input, with over 1.6 million comments submitted, the vast majority of which supported the protections.

Why does this matter?

“Roadless” areas are valued for their biodiversity, recreation opportunities and their ability to function as carbon sinks (carbon sequestration helps mitigate climate change), i.e. the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

The decision has been met with both strong support and opposition.

Supporters, including some state governors and industry groups, believe that this change will empower local land managers to make more flexible decisions, boost the timber industry and improve forest health and wildfire prevention. They argue that the rule was an “absurd obstacle” to common-sense resource management.

Opponents, including conservation and recreation groups, are concerned that rescinding the rule will lead to fragmentation of landscapes, habitat destruction and degradation of water quality. They argue that road building and logging increase the risk of wildfires and that the rule provides vital protection for irreplaceable wild areas.

The rescission process will involve environmental analysis, consultation with states and tribes and compliance with federal laws like the Endangered Species Act. It’s important to note that some states, like Colorado, have their own state-specific roadless rules that may offer continued protection to their lands, even if the federal rule is rescinded.

Recent Reactions…

From Backcountry Hunters & Anglers:

BHA strongly opposes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent decision to roll back the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule–removing long-standing protections for 58.5 million acres of national forest lands across 39 states. For 24 years, the Roadless Rule has provided bedrock safeguards for some of America’s most remote and ecologically valuable public lands from roadbuilding and development. Removing these protections not only directly contradicts decades of public input–it threatens the very character of the backcountry.

“The Roadless Rule was never about closing roads or locking people out,” said Kaden McArthur, BHA’s Director of Policy and Government Relations. “It allows for exceptional backcountry recreation and includes exceptions for access to inholdings, mineral leases and timber projects that reduce fire risk or benefit wildlife habitat. But let’s be clear: our national forests already have twice as many miles of roads as the entire U.S. National Highway System. Repealing the Roadless Rule isn’t about improving forest management–it’s about expanding a development network that threatens intact landscapes hunters, anglers, and wildlife can’t afford to lose.”

From Trout Unlimited:

“Roadless areas are sources of clean water and some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities on the planet,” said Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. “Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the Forest Service, once described conservation as ‘the application of common sense to common problems for the common good.’ Let’s hope common sense prevails and the Administration reconsiders its proposal.”

For more than 20 years, the Roadless Rule has conserved backcountry public lands and waters, while providing flexibility for the Forest Service to steward these high-value landscapes through active management that improves forest health and allows for natural resource development. These multiple-use areas sustain native trout and salmon, support wildlife with unfragmented corridors and offer irreplaceable backcountry hunting and angling experiences.

“The roadless rule is one of the most significant and popular conservation achievements in the history of the United States. It protects drinking water supplies, fish and wildlife habitat, and hunting and angling opportunities. We urge USDA to keep these protections in place, and we’re committed to working with them to ensure these lands are managed wisely, for the benefit of everyone.”