USDA to unleash roads in roadless forests? Local logjam ahead
Published Date: 8/20/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The USDA wants to cancel the 2001 Roadless Rule that stopped road building and logging in special forest areas. This change gives local forest managers more freedom to decide how to care for these lands based on local needs. People have until September 21, 2026, to share their thoughts, and this could affect how forests are managed and how money is spent on these lands.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Aggregate Economic Impacts Could Exceed $100M
USDA states that the additional impacts associated with the proposed rescission could exceed $100 million (annual estimated economic effects span a wide range and some additional impacts could exceed this amount).
More Timber Harvest Opportunities
If the 2001 Roadless Rule is rescinded, about 4.8 million acres (16% of forested inventoried roadless areas) could become operable for active forest management. If harvest occurred on all those areas (which the agency says is unlikely), annual sawtimber harvest could rise 5–10%, generating an estimated $5.2 to $11.4 million per year in revenue to the Treasury and Forest Service and $4.6 to $10.6 million per year to the timber industry.
Roads and Wildfire Tradeoffs Near Homes
Rescinding the rule could allow new permanent roads on about 18.2 million acres (45.5% of the potentially affected area) and temporary roads on about 11.3 million acres (28.3%). It would also increase opportunities for hazardous fuel treatments where 9.8 million acres (24%) of inventoried roadless areas overlap the wildland-urban interface, which could improve wildfire suppression but also raise human-caused ignition risk.
Recreation and Tourism Could Lose Revenue
The proposed rescission could cause temporary recreation impacts (noise, visible infrastructure, closures) and, over time, potentially expand road-based recreation. USDA estimates potential annual losses in recreation-related economic benefits of about $6.1 million, concentrated in operable areas of current inventoried roadless areas.
Idaho and Colorado Rules Stay in Place
The proposed rescission would not affect the state-specific roadless rules for Idaho (36 CFR part 294, Subpart C) and Colorado (36 CFR part 294, Subpart D); those state rules will remain in effect if the national rescission is finalized.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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