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The administration announced a plan to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule, opening 45 million acres of national forests to development.

The administration announced a move to repeal the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which has protected millions of acres of national forest land from industrial use for over two decades. This rollback would open more than 45 million acres of forest to roads, drilling, and logging. The administration cited outdated restrictions as a barrier to improving forest health and reducing wildfire risk. While the administration announced the move as a way to streamline land management, conservationists and local leaders have expressed mixed reactions. Some officials, such as Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, expressed concern over the loss of public land protections. Conversely, wildfire officials like Nick Tyler argue that new roads provide critical access for firefighting crews. The administration announced a 32-day public comment period ending September 21st, though some advocates argue the timeline is too short for such a significant policy shift. The U.S. Forest Service is currently considering the proposal to allow local-level decisions on these lands.

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