Roadless Rule
The Trump Administration has announced plans to rescind the Roadless Rule, threatening the Wasatch Mountains.
About the Roadless Rule
The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (Roadless Rule) currently protects almost 45-million acres of public land managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) from new roads, along with the commercial logging, mining, OHV activity, and ski resort operations that accompany them. The increased traffic, development, and wildfire risk brought by this change would all significantly impact the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch.
Action Alert: Submit a comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).
Comment Due September 21, 2026
See below for some example wording
Example Letter:
Keep It Roadless, Stand Up For Public Land Protections.
Dear Secretary Rollins,
I urge you not to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and strongly advocate for the "No Action Alternative" in the Environmental Impact Statement. The Roadless Rule is an extremely successful and popular management tool that ensures nearly 45 million acres of our most pristine national forests remain wild. Here in Utah, it protects over 323,000 acres of the Wasatch Mountains from unnecessary development, preserving the ecosystems and multi-billion dollar outdoor recreation economy we rely upon.
By rescinding this rule, our forests would be vulnerable to large-scale commercial logging and road-building that would permanently damage our fragile watersheds, wildlife habitat, and dispersed recreation economy. These are the places where Utahns hike, ski, hunt, and seek solitude, from Millcreek Canyon, Mount Aire, and Grandeur Peak, to the pristine backcountry ski terrain in Beartrap Fork, Willow Heights, and White Pine Gulch. Preservation of these lands from roadbuilding is of utmost importance to our economy, watershed, and dispersed recreation opportunities.
The stated justification that new roads are necessary for wildfire mitigation is fundamentally flawed and ignores the best available science. In fact, roads increase the number and frequency of wildfires. A comprehensive three-decade study by Aplet et. al (2026) revealed that wildfire-ignition density is lowest in designated wilderness (1.75 fires/1,000 hectares) and Inventoried Roadless Areas (1.97 fires/1,000 hectares), but is highest in lands within 50 meters of roads (7.99 fires/1,000 hectares). Because humans are responsible for 84% of unplanned wildfire ignitions, building new roads into pristine areas will only introduce more human access and exponentially increase the risk of fire. Rather than protecting us, rescinding the rule would force firefighters into high-exposure suppression assignments in rugged terrain, pulling scarce resources away from where they are most needed: protecting our at-risk homes and communities.
Furthermore, the Roadless Rule has never prohibited fuels treatment projects or wildfire suppression. Here in the Wasatch, we have already proven that we can safely manage dense fuel loads and protect the Wildland Urban Interface without commercial logging. Through Shared Stewardship Projects in Parley's, Millcreek, Big Cottonwood, and American Fork Canyons, land managers successfully utilize science-based treatments like prescribed burns, slash-piles, and lop-and-scatter to manage fuels within Inventoried Roadless Areas. This holistic, inter-agency approach is the way forward.
We do not need new roads or commercial timber development to keep our communities safe; we need adequate resources for our local ranger districts to continue their successful stewardship work. Please uphold this effective conservation measure by selecting the No Action Alternative to protect America's last wild forests for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Friends of Alta Statement of Support for the Roadless Rule
Environmental protections are being eliminated at an alarming rate to roll out the red carpet for increased logging, mineral extraction, and energy production. Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante were recently reduced in size by 90%, to make way for increased mining and extraction of fossil fuels, and now, the Trump administration is attempting the largest land grab in American history by proposing the elimination of the Roadless Rule.
On August 18th, Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Robbins, announced that the U.S. Forest Service had filed a proposal to not only gut, but eliminate the 2021 Roadless Rule in its entirety. If successful, our public lands will be changed irreversibly, with the fallout being catastrophic.
Since 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (or the Roadless Rule) has stood as a significant milestone in environmental policy, safeguarding approximately 58.5 million acres of untouched National Forest System lands from large-scale logging and road construction. Protecting these wild landscapes is crucial, as they provide significant ecological, economic, and recreational benefits nationwide.
More than 25 million Americans rely on water sourced from roadless areas. If the Roadless Rule is rescinded, this water will be at significant risk of contamination, primarily due to increased soil erosion, toxic runoff, and a national filtration system that would be severely compromised. Such contamination not only affects the safety and quality of our drinking water but also leads to harmful byproducts that can adversely impact the broader environment. These threaten our wildlands and the diverse flora and fauna that depend on these ecosystems, underscoring the importance of protecting these vulnerable areas.
The elimination of the Roadless Rule would also give rise to an increase in wildfires. As roads are constructed, they disturb natural forest floors, creating conditions that promote the growth of highly flammable vegetation and invasive species. They also allow for more human activity, which is responsible for more than 80% of the wildfires in our country. This combination of factors is likely to heighten both the frequency and intensity of wildfires in affected areas, and the domino effect on the ecosystem cannot be understated. Roadless areas in forests shelter more than 220 species that are threatened, endangered or proposed for Endangered Species Act protection, supporting 57% of all vulnerable terrestrial wildlife. Areas that are home to a thriving habitat for countless creatures and act as a sanctuary for rich biodiversity, are at great risk of becoming a clearcut wasteland.
The Roadless Rule Has Widespread Support
Fortunately, rescinding the Roadless Rule is wildly unpopular on both sides of the political aisle. In August 2025, the Trump administration revealed plans to eliminate the Roadless Rule, leading to a brief public comment phase. Within three weeks, an impressive total of 625,737 comments poured in, with a resounding 95% in favor of maintaining roadless protections. Despite almost unanimous public opposition, the administration is continuing toward repealing the rule. We need all hands-on deck to stop this, and that means no more standing on the sidelines. If you care about the environment, and you care about the world we will leave the next generation, it’s time to act.