The Trump administration announced on August 18, 2026, its intention to rescind the "roadless rule," which has been in place for 25 years to protect old growth forests in the United States. This change could potentially open nearly 45 million acres of national forests to activities such as road construction, drilling, and logging. Brooke Rollins, the Secretary of Agriculture, criticized the rule as "overly restrictive" and an "absurd obstacle" to development, a sentiment that conservationists had anticipated since last summer.
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Trump Administration Plans to Rescind Roadless Rule Protecting Old Growth Forests
On August 18, 2026, the Trump administration announced plans to rescind the roadless rule protecting old growth forests, which could allow nearly 45 million acres of national forests to be opened for road construction, drilling, and logging. The Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, described the rule as overly restrictive.
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Trump administration to rescind rule protecting old growth forests
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Trump Administration Plans to Rescind Roadless Rule Protecting Old Growth Forests