Nearly 45-million acres of national forest lands that have been protected for 25 years could open up to logging. The Trump administration Tuesday proposed a new regulation that would remove what’s known as the “roadless rule.” MTPR’s Aaron Bolton spoke with Ellis Juhlin from the Montana Free Press about the latest in a decades-old fight over where the federal government allows logging.
Aaron: Ellis, for those who don’t know, can you explain what the roadless rule is?
Ellis: It’s a policy that was originally passed in 2001 that protects certain portions of federally managed forests from development like road construction and logging. It covers about 6-million acres in Montana, and close to 45 million nationwide.
Aaron: The Trump administration is proposing to eliminate the rule. Why does the administration want to get rid of it?
Ellis: The short answer? Wildfires.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said as much in the agency’s press release announcing the decision on Tuesday. Rollings said the rule has limited where the Forest Service can build roads, which has led to overgrown and diseased forests ripe for mega fires.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte was also quoted in the release saying that ending the roadless rule is better for Montana communities – and we’ve heard similar sentiments from Gianforte regarding the desire for more local control of federal lands.
Aaron: What has been the response from environmental groups and those who support the rule?
Ellis: Well, it’s important to note that many fire scientists don’t agree with the USDA. In fact, over 30 fire researchers submitted a letter to the Forest Service last fall saying that the science shows more roads actually equal more fires. Research has shown about 85% of wildfires are human caused. If you make places easier for people to get to, you’re increasing the chance of them starting fires there, too.
It’s also important to note that there are provisions in place that allow for firefighters to battle flames in roadless areas when needed.
The other big component of this is the question of conservation. Roadless areas provide important habitat for a myriad of species. Think the kind of cold, clear, fast moving streams trout love, or elk winter range, or just large open swaths of land often surrounding Wilderness areas and national parks that give species like grizzly bears the space they need to roam. Critics say if roads are built, or sections of these intact forests are logged, that threatens all that wildlife, too.
Opponents of the administration’s proposal to rescind the rule have also pointed to the fact that the Forest Service already has a huge backlog of road maintenance that it cannot afford to do, and is years behind on — and that’s just for the roads that already exist. Add more roads and the backlog grows.
Aaron: This isn’t the first time the Trump admin has tried to get rid of the roadless rule. This fight has been playing out since the roadless rule was implemented in 2001. Is this the closest we’ve been to the rule being eliminated?
Ellis: It is. There have been legal challenges brought against the rule in the past but it’s always survived. This is the furthest we’ve seen a proposed rescission go.
Aaron: So where does this go from here? Is this fight likely headed back to court?
Ellis: The public can comment on the proposal to rescind the rule, until September 21. But if this thing moves forward from there, legal challenges are likely to follow.
Aaron: Thanks for sharing your reporting with us.
Ellis: For sure.
The 30-day comment period for the proposed rule and draft environmental statement ends at midnight Sept. 21, 2026.
