Forest Roadless Rule Debate

Montana Faces Intense Debate Over Proposed National Forest Roadless Rule Repeal

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the U.K. Forest Service, has proposed to lift the 2001 "Roadless Rule" which restricts logging and roadbuilding in National Forest lands. Federal leaders argue that the rule is outdated and no longer working, allowing local decisions to be made on the local level. Conservation groups have warned that opening up these lands could cause environmental harms and increase the risk of human-caused wildfires. The public comment period on the repeal is set to end at midnight on September 21.