USDA proposes repealing Roadless Rule and expanding forest access

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is moving to roll back significant land protections through new proposals targeting the 2001 Roadless Rule. The Forest Service has released a draft Environmental Impact Statement proposing a full repeal of the rule, which has protected approximately 44 million acres of undeveloped national forests from new road construction, commercial logging, and mining for nearly 25 years.

In Wyoming, the administration plans to open roughly 6.2 million acres of public forest land to increased motorized access, including ATVs and e-bikes. USDA Undersecretary Mike Boren stated that current regulations create “unnecessary barriers” to public recreation, while the agency maintains that a new uniform policy will support rural economies and sustainable transportation.

Conservation groups, including the Wyoming Wilderness Association, have criticized the moves. Opponents argue the changes will lead to soil erosion, degraded water quality, and the loss of solitude for quiet recreation like hunting and fishing. They warn that removing these protections could result in “unsustainable outcomes” for public lands.