The Trump administration said Monday it plans to repeal protections for nearly 60 million acres of designated roadless areas shut off to logging in national forests.
In announcing the plan, which is certain to attract legal challenges, the Agriculture Department said the regulations first implemented in the early 2000s “go against the mandate of the USDA Forest Service to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the change at a conference of Western governors in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation’s forests,” Rollins said. “It is abundantly clear that properly managing our forests preserves them from devastating fires and allows future generations of Americans to enjoy and reap the benefits of this great land.”
