Trump Administration Moves to Rescind National Forest 'Roadless Rule'

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, the Trump administration announced plans to rescind the federal “roadless rule,” a 25-year-old regulation that has restricted road construction, logging and drilling in undeveloped sections of national forests. The rule, enacted under President Bill Clinton, currently protects nearly 45 million acres of national forest land across the United States. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has been a key figure pushing the repeal, having previously described the rule as “overly restrictive” and an “absurd obstacle” to development. The move would open almost 45 million acres of previously off-limits, largely untouched national forest backcountry to potential road building, commercial logging and drilling. Reports indicate the administration had signaled this action was coming since at least the summer of 2025, and Rollins had targeted the rule for elimination prior to Tuesday's formal announcement. The rescission would reverse policy that has been in place since it was established under the Clinton administration a quarter-century ago. Environmental and conservation groups have reacted with strong opposition, with reports characterizing the reaction as drawing significant criticism from environmentalists nationwide. Supporters of the rule change contend it will lead to better-managed forests, though specific details of that argument are not elaborated in available reporting. The formal rulemaking process, timeline for finalization, and specific regulatory steps that would need to occur before the rule takes effect remain unspecified in current coverage.