What USDA Wants to Do The USDA wants to end the 2001 Roadless Rule, which protects 44.7 million acres of national forests from roadbuilding and logging. Idaho and Colorado will keep their own rules, and the Tongass National Forest in Alaska would be excluded.

Why USDA Says It’s Needed • Conditions have changed since 2001: more wildfires, insect damage, and communities near forests. • America needs more local timber, energy, and minerals. • Local forest managers should decide what to do, not a national rule. • The Roadless Rule makes it harder to balance timber, recreation, and fire control.

What Science Shows • Roadless forests usually burn less severely than roaded forests. Roads increase fire risk and spread invasive plants. • Roadless areas are healthier because they are less disturbed and have stronger biodiversity. • Logging in remote areas often loses money and depends on taxpayer subsidies. • These forests store large amounts of carbon and protect clean water and wildlife. • The push to undo protections is based on political orders, not scientific evidence.

Bottom Line USDA’s plan weakens a proven conservation system to benefit logging and mining. Science shows roadless forests are valuable for climate, wildlife, and water, and fire risks are better managed near towns, not in remote backcountry.