USDA Proposes Rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule - Comment Today!

Comments must be submitted by midnight Eastern on September 21, 2026! 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Forest Service have formally proposed rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule, which currently restricts road construction and certain forest management activities across more than 44 million acres of National Forest System lands.

The proposed rule, "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation," would restore decision-making authority to local forest managers, allowing them greater flexibility to address wildfire risk, improve forest health, combat insect and disease outbreaks, and implement active management projects tailored to local conditions. Importantly, the proposal does not automatically authorize road building or timber harvests; instead, it shifts management decisions back to the forest level while maintaining existing environmental review requirements.   

PLC encourages producers to submit comments describing how rescinding the Roadless Rule would impact their operations, wildfire prevention efforts, forest health, access, grazing activities, and other land management needs. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide firsthand examples from their communities and operations to help inform the final rulemaking process.