These 4 million acres of California forests could lose protection. Here’s what Trump’s ‘roadless rule’ repeal could do
calmatters.org/environment/2025/06/roadless-rule-repeal-california-forests/
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Proposed Repeal Could Remove Protection From 4.4 Million California AcresAbout 21% of California’s 21 million national-forest acres are roadless, while wildfire-prevention effects remain disputed.
Key FactsJun 26, 2025 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: calmatters.org
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: calmatters.org
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Monday that she intends to rescind the 2001 rule covering more than 58 million national-forest acres.
- Affected landscapes range from dense northern coastal forests and alpine Sierra Nevada conifers to Southern California brushland.
- Experts are divided: Roads could aid firefighting while also bringing more people and ignition sources into forests.
- The department gave no procedure or timeline; rule reversals usually require Federal Register publication and a lengthy public-comment period.
This move is the most irresponsible, because opening up these forests to logging roads and logging is going to degrade them. It’ll actually increase wildfire risks. It’ll harm numerous species and harm watersheds.— Randi Spivak, public lands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity
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agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
city in the San Gabriel Valley, in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States
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