September 2026: Make Roadless Forest Protections Permanent
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Forest Service has proposed repealing the Roadless Rule. Since 2001, the rule has protected nearly 60 million acres of undeveloped national forest from road construction and commercial logging. The repeal would open 44.7 million of those acres to development, including nine million acres of Alaska's Tongass National Forest, the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world. Opponents have challenged the rule in court for 25 years. It has survived every challenge.
These forests do practical work for the country. Roadless areas supply drinking water to more than 25 million Americans and provide habitat for more than half of the nation's imperiled wildlife. The administration argues that new roads would help crews reach wildfires. Fire ecologists warn the opposite. Nearly 85 percent of wildfires begin with human activity. New roads carry more of that activity into forests where fire risk is now low.
Congress can settle this question. The Roadless Area Conservation Act, H.R. 3930 in the House and S. 2042 in the Senate, would write the current protections into law. A statute would end the cycle of repeal and restoration that has swung these forests between administrations for a decade. Environmental groups across the country, EarthAction and 2020 Action among them, have defended the Roadless Rule for 25 years. Permanent protection would make that work last.
ACTION: Contact your Representative and both of your Senators. Urge them to cosponsor the Roadless Area Conservation Act (H.R. 3930 / S. 2042) and to oppose repeal of the Roadless Rule. You might say the rule has protected drinking water, wildlife habitat, and public access to forests for 25 years and deserves the permanence of law.
The Forest Service is also accepting public comments on the proposed repeal through September 21. Submit yours at www.regulations.gov under docket number FS-2025-0001.
CONTACT: Your Representative & Senators in Congress
Web: www.senate.gov, www.house.gov. Leave a message through the "Contact" link on each member's website.
Tel: 202-224-3121. The Capitol switchboard will connect you to any office.
Mail: Senator or Representative (first and last name), U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510 or U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515
Please send a letter-to-the-editor to your local paper on this topic to educate others.
