US Forest Service Proposes Rescinding Roadless Rule
The U.S. Forest Service has proposed rescinding the roadless rule to remove road-building bans across ten Western states. The plan aims to lower wildfire risks and give local managers flexibility, drawing mixed reactions from conservationists and timber advocates.
The United States Department of Agriculture filed a proposal in August 2026 to rescind conservation protections across 2 million acres of forest land in Oregon. The move removes road-building bans across 10 Western states to grant local managers land access. The policy shift impacts environmental safeguards established decades ago to protect backcountry ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
