US Forest Service moves to repeal 2001 Roadless Rule, sparking Western NC concerns
The USDA’s Forest Service has proposed rescinding the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which could lift nationwide limits on road building and timber harvesting across about 45 million acres of national forest land.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Forest Service, is seeking to revoke the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, removing a national prohibition on road construction, road reconstruction and most timber harvesting on roughly 45 million acres of national forest. The rule has protected large blocks of relatively undisturbed forest, including more than 152,000 acres in Western North Carolina’s Pisgah and Nantahala forests.
The administration argues that the repeal would allow local managers to better respond to wildfire danger, timber management and changing conditions, while opponents fear increased logging, road building, habitat fragmentation and impacts on water quality. Although the rule’s removal would not instantly permit new projects, it would place greater reliance on individual forest plans, the National Environmental Policy Act and other statutes.
The Forest Service received over 625,000 public comments during a prior comment period, with the majority supporting the existing rule. The agency must now consider these comments before issuing a final rule.
Why it matters
The decision could reshape forest management, affecting wildlife, water supplies and wildfire response across millions of acres.
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