USDA Rescinds FS Roadless Rule
Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the U.S. Forest Service is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule that restricted roadbuilding and timber harvesting on administratively designated roadless areas.
Removing the rule will open up almost 59 million acres of the National Forest System, allowing for more efficient fire prevention and responsible timber production.
According to USDA officials, the rule was overly restrictive and affected roughly 30% of National Forest System lands are impacted by this rule. 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. In Montana, it is 58%, and in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, the largest in the country, 92% is impacted.
A news release notes the action aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation to get rid of overcomplicated, burdensome barriers that hamper American business and innovation.
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