Trump Administration Moves to Open 44 Million Acres of Pristine Forest to Logging

The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed rescinding the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, potentially removing restrictions on roads, road reconstruction and timber harvesting across roughly 44.7 million acres of inventoried roadless areas. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the change would give local Forest Service managers flexibility to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risks. The proposal covers roadless areas governed by the national rule across 10 Western states, while Colorado and Idaho retain separate state-specific protections. The administration says the existing rule can impede forest-management work, while conservation groups argue expanded roads and development could damage wildlife habitat, watersheds and recreation lands and increase wildfire ignitions. A Fire Ecology study found ignition density within 50 meters of roads was about four times higher than in more remote roadless areas, though that association does not establish causation. Public comments are due September 21, and rescission would not itself authorize logging projects.