Trump administration advances plan to rescind protections for nearly 45 million wild acres

The briefing

USDA head Brooke Rollins filed a rule to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule in its entirety, ending protections on about 30% of U.S. Forest Service lands. Rollins framed the rollback as wildfire prevention, though Forest Service research and an Oregon State study show most Western wildfires start near roads because people cause them. An earlier notice drew more than 600,000 comments, most opposed, and Earthjustice said it will likely sue.