USDA rescinds 2001 Roadless Rule

SANTA FE, New Mexico (ABC4) — U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rescinding of the 2001 Roadless Rule on Monday during a meeting of the Western Governors Association in Santa Fe.

Rescinding this rule will remove prohibitions on road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvest on nearly 59 million acres of the National Forest System, “allowing for fire prevention and responsible timber production,” according to a press release.

“This rule is overly restrictive and poses real harm to millions of acres of our national forests. In total, 30% of National Forest System lands are impacted by this rule,” the press release continued. “For example, nearly 60% of forest service land in Utah is restricted from road development and is unable to be properly managed for fire risk.”

The State of Utah alone estimates the roadless rule alone creates a 25% decrease in economic development in the forestry sector, according to the USDA.

“This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation’s forests,” said Secretary Rollins. “It is abundantly clear that properly managing our forests preserves them from devastating fires and allows future generations of Americans to enjoy and reap the benefits of this great land.”

The USDA also states that of the 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas covered under the 2001 Roadless Rule, 28 million acres are in areas at high or very high risk of wildfire.

The USDA added, “rescinding this rule will allow this land to be managed at the local forest level, with more flexibility to take swift action to reduce wildfire risk and help protect surrounding communities and infrastructure.”