The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced an official rulemaking process to rescind the Roadless Rule, a landmark conservation policy enacted in 2001 that protects more than 45 million acres of pristine lands in national forests across 36 states and Puerto Rico.
The Roadless Rule prohibits most new roadbuilding for logging and oil-and-gas drilling in unfragmented backcountry forestlands—areas that have never been disturbed by major development. In North Carolina, more than 172,000 acres of Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRA) would be at risk, including portions of North Carolina's four national forests: the Croatan on the coast, the Uwharrie in the Piedmont, and the Pisgah and Nantahala in the western mountains.
“In defiance of massive public support, and with careless disregard for the sanctity of our National Forests, Trump’s USDA is poised to rescind a rule that has protected the last of our wild spaces for more than 25 years,” said Erin Carey, Conservation Policy Director for the North Carolina Sierra Club. “There is no economically sound or environmentally responsible rationale for destroying what little true wilderness we have left. It is the Forest Service’s mandate to protect our forests for future generations, not sell them off to the highest bidder.”
Roadless forests provide critical wildlife habitat — including for endangered species — support clean, mountain-fed drinking water by protecting river headwaters, and offer people a wide range of recreational opportunities. If the Roadless Rule is rescinded, logging and other extractive development will increase in forests that currently function as intact ecosystems, benefitting wildlife and people alike.
Meanwhile, the Forest Service already manages 380,000 miles of forest roads, many of which are in disrepair, with a maintenance backlog in the billions of dollars. Building new roads would further burden taxpayers, while also increasing wildfire risk, as research shows that fires are more likely to start in roaded areas.
This move comes despite strong opposition from diverse voices — including small business owners, hunters, anglers, recreationists, and wildland firefighters — who have spoken out in defense of keeping the Roadless Rule in place.
The public has until September 19, 2025, to submit comments on the USDA’s Notice of Intent to rescind the rule.