Trump administration advances plan to open national forests to development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that the Trump administration plans to rescind the Roadless Rule, a policy that has protected nearly 45 million acres of national forest land from development for the past 25 years. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins stated that the rule has led to overgrown and diseased forests that are more susceptible to wildfires, as it limits where the US Forest Service can build roads and manage timber.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte applauded the decision, saying it would empower states to pursue proper forest management.

However, more than 30 leading forest science researchers refuted the administration's claims, stating that the density of wildfire ignitions was lowest in wilderness and roadless areas over the past three decades. The National Interagency Fire Center reported that nearly 85 percent of wildfires are human-caused. The affected areas are primarily found in national forests in the West and Alaska, with Montana's protected land totaling nearly 6 million acres and 10 million acres in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Scott Christensen, executive director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, emphasized the importance of roadless areas as vital habitat for elk, mule deer, trout, and grizzly bears, warning that opening up millions of acres for road development would eliminate a critical element in grizzly bear recovery. Wildlife groups have warned of devastating consequences for numerous species if the rule is rescinded, as 57 percent of species of conservation concern rely on habitat in at least one roadless area.

The proposal, along with a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, will be published in the Federal Register on August 20, and the Forest Service will accept public comments until September 21.