Signal US Forest Service Moves to Rescind 25-Year-Old Roadless Rule Protecting National Forests

Summary

The Trump administration took a significant step on August 18, 2026 toward eliminating the 2001 Roadless Rule, with the US Forest Service filing a proposed rule to rescind the regulation that bans logging, road construction, and mining across nearly 59 million acres, about 30% of the National Forest System. USDA framed the move around wildfire management, with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stating that overgrown stands, insect outbreaks, and disease have turned healthy landscapes into tinderboxes, and that authority should be restored to local forest managers. The justification comes amid one of the worst US wildfire years on record, with 7.3 million acres burned in roughly 49,000 fires through August 17, 2026. Environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers strongly oppose the rescission, arguing it would harm wildlife habitat and worsen climate change rather than reduce fire risk. The proposal is linked to a related 2025 executive order exempting Alaska's Tongass National Forest from the rule, while Colorado- and Idaho-specific roadless regulations remain unaffected; the Forest Service will now gather public comment before finalizing the rule.