Trump administration to rescind rule protecting old growth forests

The Trump administration plans to rescind a rule that has protected old-growth forests in the US for 25 years. The "roadless rule," introduced by Bill Clinton's administration in 2001, blocks logging, road building, and other development on national forest lands. Rescinding the rule could open up almost 45m acres of national forests to road construction, drilling, and logging.

The US Forest Service says the rule is a "one-size-fits-all restriction" that has frustrated land managers and hindered efforts to reduce wildfire risks. US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described the rule as "overly restrictive" and an "absurd obstacle" to development. According to Rollins, the proposal aims to restore authority to local forest managers and remove barriers to addressing preventable conditions that contribute to worsening wildfires.

The move has drawn criticism from environmentalists. Clinton introduced the roadless rule to safeguard undeveloped national forest land from commercial logging and mineral leasing, with the goal of preserving ecosystems and protecting water supplies. The Associated Press and The Guardian US reported that scientists attribute worsening wildfires to a combination of climate change, reduced logging, and decades of fire suppression.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Guardian US, Associated Press, Hindustan Times - World News — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.