Legislators from 41 States Oppose USDA’s Effort to Rescind the “Roadless Rule”

Washington, D.C. (October 7, 2026) — Yesterday, a bipartisan group of 232 state legislators from 43 states and territories submitted a formal comment letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opposing the proposed rescission of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (the “Roadless Rule”).

Established in 2001, the Roadless Rule prohibits road construction and logging on National Forest lands with great ecological and recreational value. The comment letter highlights the Roadless Rule’s 25-year track record of safeguarding nearly 60 million acres of National Forest System lands across 37 states and emphasizes these lands’ vital role in protecting clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience. 

On Tuesday, August 18, the USDA filed a proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule in its entirety. Only 33 days were originally offered for public comment on the proposal before the deadline was extended.

In the letter, lawmakers note their ongoing support for the Roadless Rule for the following reasons: 

• Public Support: The Roadless Rule has broad public support, and the opportunity for public input has been severely limited under the current proposal.
• Landscape Protections: The Roadless Rule has been critical for protecting important landscapes across numerous states and regions — from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska to the George Washington National Forest in Virginia.
• Ecological Benefits: By limiting road construction, logging, and mining in undeveloped areas, the Rule has helped to improve water quality, safeguard wildlife habitat, and address climate change.
• Wildfire Resilience: While the USDA’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement claims that rescinding the Roadless Rule would improve wildfire management, the letter notes that these claims are not justified and that research shows wildfire ignitions are nearly four times more likely in areas with roads.
• Economic & Cultural Value: Roadless areas support a $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, help avoid adding to the Forest Service’s multibillion-dollar maintenance backlog, and safeguard landscapes of deep cultural and subsistence importance to Indigenous communities.

“The Roadless Rule has protected millions of acres of heritage forestland, including 172,000 acres in North Carolina — some of the most intact forest areas in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, and home to world-class hiking and mountain biking trails, old-growth forests, crystal-clear trout fishing streams, and habitat for rare wildlife,” said North Carolina State Representative Pricey Harrison. “These lands belong to every American, and keeping the Roadless Rule in place will ensure that one of our greatest national treasures will be around for future generations.”

The legislators underscore that rapid dismantling of the highly effective and popular Roadless Rule undermines both the nation’s natural resources and the transparency essential to federal rulemaking. The letter concludes by urging the USDA to halt the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule.

This letter was spearheaded by North Carolina State Representative Pricey Harrison and Washington State Representative Kristine Reeves.

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About NCEL: Created by and for state legislators, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes over 1,400 environmentally committed state legislators from all 50 states and both parties. NCEL provides venues and opportunities for lawmakers to share ideas and collaborate on environmental issues.