Latest news with #BrookeRollins
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
USDA says repealing ‘roadless' protections will prevent wildfires. A new study disagrees
The Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire in Gila National Forest pictured at night in May 2012. A new study awaiting peer review from the Wilderness Society undercuts the United States Agriculture Department Secretary's claim that repealing the "Roadless Rule" will prevent wildfires. (Photo courtesy Gila National Forest) One big reason the United States Agriculture Department Secretary says she wants to strip protections for 58 million acres of federal forestland is to prevent wildfires, but a new study suggests allowing roads and logging into currently protected areas will do the opposite. A study from national environmentalist group The Wilderness Society concluded that more roads results in more wildfires, and said 'roadless' areas that comprise roughly 30% of the nation's federal forestland see far fewer wildfire starts. 'Building roads into roadless areas is likely to result in more fires. These fires will, on average, be smaller than fires farther from roads, but there will be more of them, and some of them will grow to become large fires,' lead author Greg Aplet concluded in a two-page summary of the study findings. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled her agency's plans earlier this week during the Western Governors' Association annual meeting in Santa Fe to repeal the 'Roadless Rule,' protections implemented in 2011 aimed at preserving wild forests. She said the rule hampers forest management and wildfire prevention and also said repealing the ban would get more 'logs on trucks' as the Trump administration seeks to rekindle a nationwide logging industry in federal forests. USDA Secretary in Santa Fe announces agency intends to repeal Clinton-era 'roadless' rule The Wilderness Society study, completed last month, is still undergoing peer review, according to the organization. Its authors, who submitted it for publication in the Fire Ecology journal, looked at three decades of wildfire ignition data across all national forests to determine whether higher wildfire frequency was found within 50 meters of roads. The authors determined that wildfire-ignition density was more than three times lower in areas protected as 'Inventoried Roadless Areas.' Specifically, those areas saw 1.9 fires per 1,000 hectares, which is about 4 square miles. The highest wildfire-ignition density occurred in areas within 50 meters on either side of a road, the authors found, where there were 7.4 fires per 1,000 hectares. The authors did the same analysis by region, and found wildfire density along roads in the Southwest ranked the highest in the country. Roughly 13 wildfires per 1,000 hectares occurred in this region, compared with roughly 3 wildfires per 1,000 hectares in 'roadless areas.' A Source New Mexico analysis of wildfire ignitions in the Gila National Forest had similar findings. Since 2014, the earliest year ignition data from the National Interagency Wildfire Center is readily available, roughly 1,400 wildfires have ignited within Gila boundaries, according to Source's analysis. Of them, about 15% ignited within 'roadless' areas with strict prohibitions against road construction or reconstruction, which comprise 20% of the forest area. Particularly in the southern part of the Gila, wildfire starts over the last decade appear to cluster alongside roads, according to Source's map below: The biggest fire in the Gila's recorded history and also the second-biggest fire in New Mexico history, the 320,000-acre Black Fire, did not start in a 'roadless' area, according to the Source New Mexico analysis. The Trout Fire, which is currently burning in the Gila, also did not start in the 'roadless' area. On Tuesday, United States Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz issued a statement applauding Rollins' move to repeal the 'Roadless Rule.' 'This decision would unlock 30% of the National Forest System, enabling common-sense forest management practices to strengthen the health and productivity of America's forests,' he wrote. He characterized wildfires burning in 'roadless' areas as increasingly destructive, thanks to overgrown and unmanaged forests that need to be thinned and accessible. 'The forests we know today are not the same as the forests of 2001. They are dangerously overstocked and increasingly threatened by drought, insect-born disease, and wildfire. It's time to turn the page on the Roadless Rule and return land management decisions where they belong – with local Forest Service experts who best understand their forests and communities,' he wrote. By the #s: Nearly a quarter of the Gila is protected as 'roadless.' Those protections could be nixed Even though the study found that wildfires tend to grow larger if they ignite in 'roadless areas,' doing so isn't necessarily problematic, Aplet, the study's lead author, told Source New Mexico on Thursday. By definition, 'roadless' areas don't have structures or other high value assets at risk, so often little reason exists to fully suppress wildfires that burn in wild forests, he said. Forest managers at the Gila in particular possess skill at allowing good fires to burn in the wilderness, Aplet said. 'The managers on the Gila at least, have allowed fires to burn on the Gila more than most national forests, and so those forests are less altered than areas that have been logged or other national forests that haven't been similarly managed,' Aplet said. 'And so when fires do burn on the Gila wilderness and 'roadless' areas, they have a better effect than they do on other lands.' Aplet said the study began back in President Donald Trump's first term, when Utah leaders were considering seeking a statewide exemption to 'Roadless Rule' protections, alleging that 'roadless' areas were a fire threat. 'This didn't sound right to us, so we looked into the numbers,' Aplet said. The state stopped pursuing the waiver, so Aplet's work stopped, but Trump's re-election prompted authors to take up the issue again, he said.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
59 Million Acres of National Forests Opened Up for Logging
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, removing longstanding federal protections that barred road construction and logging on nearly 59 million acres of national forest land. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the decision at a meeting of the Western Governors' Association in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Monday. The move will end over two decades of restrictions, immediately permitting road building and timber harvest in undeveloped stretches of federal forests—including vast tracts in Alaska, Utah and Montana. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, center, announced during a meeting of the Western Governors' Association in Santa Fe on June 23, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, center, announced during a meeting of the Western Governors' Association in Santa Fe on June 23, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. USDA Why It Matters The elimination of the rule will affect almost 30 percent of all National Forest System lands, with critics warning of harm to wildlife, water quality and habitats. Supporters, including several Western state officials, said lifting the restrictions would improve wildfire management and boost rural economies. The decision reflected broader Trump administration efforts to promote domestic resource extraction and deregulation. What To Know The Roadless Area Conservation Rule, enacted in 2001, had prohibited road construction and timber harvest on approximately 58.5 million acres of designated "roadless" national forests. The USDA called the rule "outdated" and argued that it contradicted Congressional intent and limited forest managers' ability to address threats like wildfire. The USDA stated that nearly 60 percent of Utah's national forest lands, 58 percent of Montana's, and 92 percent of Alaska's Tongass National Forest had been subject to Roadless Rule protections, inhibiting what the agency described as "properly managed" forest activity, such as fire prevention and responsible timber production. Rollins said the rule posed "real harm" to millions of forest acres and claimed it resulted in a 25 percent decrease in forestry sector economic development in Utah, according to the state's own estimate. She further argued that the change would open "a new era of consistency and sustainability" for forest management, with local managers making "the best decisions to protect people, communities, and resources based on their unique local conditions." Environmental organizations denounced the rollback, warning that it exposed nearly 60 million acres of wildlands—some of the nation's largest roadless and old-growth forests—to logging, road construction and environmental degradation. A file photo shows Misty Fjords National Monument, part of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, on July 11, 2012. A file photo shows Misty Fjords National Monument, part of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, on July 11, 2012. Jon Elswick/AP Photo What People Are Saying Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said: "Once again, President Trump is removing absurd obstacles to common sense management of our natural resources by rescinding the overly restrictive roadless rule. This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation's forests. It is abundantly clear that properly managing our forests preserves them from devastating fires and allows future generations of Americans to enjoy and reap the benefits of this great land." Republican Alaska Representative Nick Begich wrote on X: "Alaska's forests are one of our state's greatest natural assets and the "Roadless Rule" has long stifled responsible forest management, blocked access to critical resources, and halted economic opportunity particularly in Alaska, where 92% of the Tongass National Forest was off-limits. The Roadless Rule was never about responsible conservation; it was about bureaucratic overreach that undermined the ability of local forest managers and communities to effectively manage their lands." Alex Craven, forest campaign manager for environmental organization Sierra Club, said in a statement: "Once again, the Trump administration is ignoring the voices of millions of Americans to pursue a corporate giveaway for his billionaire buddies. Stripping our national forests of roadless rule protections will put close to 60 million acres of wildlands across the country on the chopping block." What Happens Next A formal notice rescinding the Roadless Rule is expected from the USDA in the coming weeks. Legal challenges and further policy debates over federal forest management are anticipated.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The US food industry needs immigrant labour – but the system requires reform
The Trump administration's ongoing immigration policy enforcement underlines an inconvenient truth about the US agri-food industry – without undocumented immigrants, the system would not function, at least not in its current form. Earlier this month, the US federal government briefly issued guidance to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), pausing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on farms, hotels, restaurants and food processing facilities, citing concerns about labour shortages. President Trump personally acknowledged in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that his 'very aggressive' policies were ripping long-time workers from jobs that are 'almost impossible to replace.' The major policy reversal followed pleas from agri-food industry leaders to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and directly to Trump himself, asking them to ease the ICE raids on these workplaces because it would lead to staff shortages due to the industry's reliance on immigrant labour. But, just days later, DHS reversed course, with Trump's approval, reinstating what it calls 'full-scale, quota-driven immigration enforcement with no safe spaces for industries.' In other words, ICE workplace raids on farms, food processing facilities, restaurants and hotels are back on – at least for now. The agency says it must meet a daily target of 3,000 arrests, even if it means resuming enforcement in critical industries like agri-food. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who both want no exemptions or 'safe spaces' when it comes to the immigration enforcement, are believed to have played the key roles in changing the brief exemption Trump gave to agriculture and hospitality, winning out over Rollins, who was reflecting the wishes of agri-food industry leaders – and the reality that the industry in its current form is fuelled by the labour of undocumented immigrants. Stakeholders across the agri‑food sector, from individual farmers and agriculture trade associations, to major food company CEOs, were startled over the administration's flip-flop, resulting in the resumption of ICE workplace raids on farms and food processing facilities. They say the resumed raids and deportation of those arrested are triggering labour shortages, absenteeism among fearful staff and operational instability. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), which represents family farmers and ranchers across the US, is expressing strong concern over the resumption of the ICE raids, saying they disrupt the workforce and could negatively impact the US food supply. In a strongly worded statement on 17 June, AFBF president Zippy Duvall not only decried the resumption of the ICE raids but also said current agriculture workforce programmes are broken. He called for comprehensive immigration reform that addresses border security, provides a legal and stable workforce for farmers and agribusinesses, and modernises existing farmworker programmes. Approximately 50% of agri-food industry workers in the US are estimated to lack legal work authorisation, according to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data. Farmworkers comprise the highest percentage of these undocumented immigrant workers. California is the nation's leading food and agriculture state and where, according to data from the governor's office and University of California, an estimated 50% or more of agri-food industry workers are undocumented. Industry leaders there are sounding the alarm over how the ICE raids at farms and processing facilities are making the already existing food and farm labour shortage even worse. The Western Growers Association, which represents the state's family farmers, is warning that targeting undocumented food and farm workers not only jeopardises harvests but also 'threatens segments of the largest state economy, with many crops left unpicked due to labour shortages.' Additionally, the California Farm Bureau, the state's largest agri-food industry organization, Is warning that labour gaps from the deportation of undocumented farmworkers could lead to unharvested crops and ripple down through the supply chain, leading to shortages and price increases. California accounts for over 50% of the nation's output for fruits, nuts and vegetables, growing more than one-third of the vegetables and a whopping three‑quarters of fruits and nuts in the US, according to USDA data. It's also the nation's leading dairy production and processing state. Packaged food company leaders like Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya have spoken out against the resumption of ICE raids. Ulukaya is urging the Trump administration to reconsider its position, saying at The Wall Street Journal's Global Food Forum in Chicago last week that the country's food supply chain is being threatened by aggressive nationwide immigrant enforcement raids. 'We need to be very realistic,' Ulukaya said at the forum. 'We need immigration and we need workers for our food system to work.' Ulukaya is right – and I believe the immigration flip-flop debacle actually opens rather than closes the door for what is much needed immigration reform for the agri-food industry. The US agri-food system in its current form needs immigrant workers in order to function. I also believe Trump is aware of this fact and, based on what he's been saying lately, is open to immigration reform as it pertains to immigrant workers in the agri-food industry. Numerous Republicans and Democrats in Congress are also aware immigrant workers fuel the US agri-food industry. I believe they too are open to immigration relief for farm and food-industry workers. To address this dependency on immigrant labour honestly, the US must enact policy reform with a package that looks something like this: The H-2A temporary agricultural visa is the primary legal pathway for foreign farmworkers but it is bureaucratic, costly and excludes year-round jobs, such as those on dairies and in meatpacking. Reform ideas: Streamline the application process. Allow year-round jobs to qualify. Offer a path to permanent residency for workers with long-term service. An estimated 50% (or more) of US farmworkers are undocumented. These workers form the backbone of food production, yet live in fear of deportation. Reform ideas: Enact legislation like the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which passed in the US House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate. Allow undocumented workers to earn legal status through continuous agricultural employment, background checks and payment of taxes. Current visa programmes don't account for the unique demands of food processing, packaging and year-round crop work. Reform ideas: Develop a visa category specifically for the agri-food supply chain, from farm to processing, to distribution. Include flexible entry/exit options and labour protections. Immigrant agri-food workers are vulnerable to exploitation due to their immigration status. Reform ideas: Tie immigration reform to stronger enforcement of fair wages, safe working conditions and housing standards. Protect whistleblowers from retaliation or deportation when reporting labour violations. Farmers face labour shortages, while government visa systems and enforcement agencies often act in isolation or conflict. Reform ideas: Create a national database or registry of agri-food labour demand. Allow states to sponsor or co-manage temporary labour programmes based on regional workforce needs. Encourage public-private partnerships to recruit, train and place immigrant labour legally. Let's face it: pretending the US agri-food system in its current form can function without undocumented workers is a fantasy. Hoping Trump will change his mind again and exempt agri-food industry workers from immigration enforcement might not be a fantasy but it is folly because, among other things, hope isn't a strategy. Instead, the agri-food industry and its supporters should focus – and do so immediately – on immigration relief and reform for agri-food workers, focusing on both the Trump administration and on Congress. It's the best strategy not only for the industry but also for consumers and the nation as a whole. "The US food industry needs immigrant labour – but the system requires reform" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The US food and drinks industry needs immigrant labour – but the system requires reform
The Trump administration's ongoing immigration policy enforcement underlines an inconvenient truth about the US food and drinks industry – without undocumented immigrants, the system would not function, at least not in its current form. Earlier this month, the US federal government briefly issued guidance to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), pausing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on farms, hotels, restaurants and processing facilities, citing concerns about labour shortages. President Trump personally acknowledged in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that his 'very aggressive' policies were ripping long-time workers from jobs that are 'almost impossible to replace.' The major policy reversal followed pleas from industry leaders to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and directly to Trump himself, asking them to ease the ICE raids on these workplaces because it would lead to staff shortages due to the industry's reliance on immigrant labour. But, just days later, DHS reversed course, with Trump's approval, reinstating what it calls 'full-scale, quota-driven immigration enforcement with no safe spaces for industries.' In other words, ICE workplace raids on farms, food and drinks processing facilities, restaurants and hotels are back on – at least for now. The agency says it must meet a daily target of 3,000 arrests, even if it means resuming enforcement in critical industries like food and beverage. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who both want no exemptions or 'safe spaces' when it comes to the immigration enforcement, are believed to have played the key roles in changing the brief exemption Trump gave to agriculture and hospitality, winning out over Rollins, who was reflecting the wishes of industry leaders – and the reality that the industry in its current form is fuelled by the labour of undocumented immigrants. Stakeholders across the sector, from individual farmers and agriculture trade associations, to major company CEOs, were startled over the administration's flip-flop, resulting in the resumption of ICE workplace raids on farms and processing facilities. They say the resumed raids and deportation of those arrested are triggering labour shortages, absenteeism among fearful staff and operational instability. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), which represents family farmers and ranchers across the US, is expressing strong concern over the resumption of the ICE raids, saying they disrupt the workforce and could negatively impact the US food supply. In a strongly worded statement on 17 June, AFBF president Zippy Duvall not only decried the resumption of the ICE raids but also said current agriculture workforce programmes are broken. He called for comprehensive immigration reform that addresses border security, provides a legal and stable workforce for farmers and agribusinesses, and modernises existing farmworker programmes. Approximately 50% of agri-food industry workers in the US are estimated to lack legal work authorisation, according to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data. Farmworkers comprise the highest percentage of these undocumented immigrant workers. California is the nation's leading food and agriculture state and where, according to data from the governor's office and University of California, an estimated 50% or more of agri-food industry workers are undocumented. Industry leaders there are sounding the alarm over how the ICE raids at farms and processing facilities are making the already existing food and farm labour shortage even worse. The Western Growers Association, which represents the state's family farmers, is warning that targeting undocumented manufacturing and farm workers not only jeopardises harvests but also 'threatens segments of the largest state economy, with many crops left unpicked due to labour shortages.' Additionally, the California Farm Bureau, the state's largest agri-food industry organisation, Is warning that labour gaps from the deportation of undocumented farmworkers could lead to unharvested crops and ripple down through the supply chain, leading to shortages and price increases. California accounts for over 50% of the nation's output for fruits, nuts and vegetables, growing more than one-third of the vegetables and a whopping three‑quarters of fruits and nuts in the US, according to USDA data. It's also the nation's leading dairy production and processing state. CPG leaders like Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya have spoken out against the resumption of ICE raids. Ulukaya is urging the Trump administration to reconsider its position, saying at The Wall Street Journal's Global Food Forum in Chicago last week that the country's food supply chain is being threatened by aggressive nationwide immigrant enforcement raids. 'We need to be very realistic,' Ulukaya said at the forum. 'We need immigration and we need workers for our food system to work.' Ulukaya is right – and I believe the immigration flip-flop debacle actually opens rather than closes the door for what is much needed immigration reform for the food and drinks industry. The US agri-food system in its current form needs immigrant workers in order to function. I also believe Trump is aware of this fact and, based on what he's been saying lately, is open to immigration reform as it pertains to immigrant workers. Numerous Republicans and Democrats in Congress are also aware immigrant workers fuel the US agri-food industry. I believe they too are open to immigration relief for farm and manufacturing workers. To address this dependency on immigrant labour honestly, the US must enact policy reform with a package that looks something like this: The H-2A temporary agricultural visa is the primary legal pathway for foreign farmworkers but it is bureaucratic, costly and excludes year-round jobs, such as those on dairies and in meatpacking. Reform ideas: Streamline the application process. Allow year-round jobs to qualify. Offer a path to permanent residency for workers with long-term service. An estimated 50% (or more) of US farmworkers are undocumented. These workers form the backbone of food and drinks production, yet live in fear of deportation. Reform ideas: Enact legislation like the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which passed in the US House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate. Allow undocumented workers to earn legal status through continuous agricultural employment, background checks and payment of taxes. Current visa programmes don't account for the unique demands of food processing, packaging and year-round crop work. Reform ideas: Develop a visa category specifically for the agri-food supply chain, from farm to processing, to distribution. Include flexible entry/exit options and labour protections. Immigrant agri-food workers are vulnerable to exploitation due to their immigration status. Reform ideas: Tie immigration reform to stronger enforcement of fair wages, safe working conditions and housing standards. Protect whistleblowers from retaliation or deportation when reporting labour violations. Farmers face labour shortages, while government visa systems and enforcement agencies often act in isolation or conflict. Reform ideas: Create a national database or registry of agri-food labour demand. Allow states to sponsor or co-manage temporary labour programmes based on regional workforce needs. Encourage public-private partnerships to recruit, train and place immigrant labour legally. Let's face it: pretending the US agri-food system in its current form can function without undocumented workers is a fantasy. Hoping Trump will change his mind again and exempt agri-food industry workers from immigration enforcement might not be a fantasy but it is folly because, among other things, hope isn't a strategy. Instead, the food and drinks industry and its supporters should focus – and do so immediately – on immigration relief and reform for agri-food workers, focusing on both the Trump administration and on Congress. It's the best strategy not only for the industry but also for consumers and the nation as a whole. "The US food and drinks industry needs immigrant labour – but the system requires reform" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
4 days ago
- Politics
Environmental advocates sound alarm over Trump admin's plan to repeal forest protections
The Trump administration's move to end protections for 58 million acres of national forests will open up the federal lands to immense destruction, according to environmental advocates. On Monday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the "Roadless Rule," enacted in 2001 to preserve federal forestlands, would be repealed. The rule establishes prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction and timber harvesting on 58.5 million acres of roadless areas throughout the National Forest System -- about a third of the total land within the system, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The regulation was first proposed by the Clinton administration in 1999 and was signed by President Bill Clinton before he left office in 2001, after years of formulation and public comment, resulting in broad support. But Rollins claimed the regulation was "outdated" and "overly restrictive." "This outdated administrative rule contradicts the will of Congress and goes against the mandate of the USDA Forest Service to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands," the USDA said in a press release on Monday. "Rescinding this rule will remove prohibitions on road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvest on nearly 59 million acres of the National Forest System, allowing for fire prevention and responsible timber production." The administrative rule has resulted in nearly 60% of forest service land in Utah being restricted from road development and unable to be managed for fire risk, according to the USDA. In Montana, 58% of federal forest land is restricted, and about 92% of Alaska's Tongass National Forest, the USDA said. About 28 million acres of federal forest that fall under the Roadless Rule are at "high or very high risk" of wildfires, the USDA said. But environmental advocates are sounding the alarm at the high level of damage that could be done to federal wildlands should the Roadless Rule be walked back, and accused the Trump administration of showing preference to private industry over environmental protections. "Our nation's public forests belong to all of us, but the Trump Administration is treating them as property for the private industry to clearcut, drill and profit," Josh Hicks, conservation campaigns director at The Wilderness Society, said in a statement to ABC News. Revoking the Roadless Rule could actually cause more fires because ignitions are more likely in roaded landscapes, said Drew Caputo, vice president of litigation for lands, wildlife and oceans at Earthjustice. Wildfires are nearly four times more likely to start in forest areas that have roads, in comparison with roadless areas, according to a recent analysis by The Wilderness Society, which analyzed wildfire data from 1992 to 2024. The repeal also lays the groundwork for a major increase in industrial logging across federal forests, Caputo said in a statement to ABC News. "The Trump administration now wants to throw these forest protections overboard so the timber industry can make huge money from unrestrained logging," Caputo said. The Roadless Rule has been "remarkably successful" in protecting the nation's forest from destructive energy development, mining, logging and road building, Hicks said. The rule has also helped to safeguard the lands used for outdoor recreation, habitat for wildlife and protections for clean drinking water that flows through the forest streams, Hicks said. "Any attempt to revoke it is an attack on the air and water we breath and drink, abundant recreational opportunities which millions of people enjoy each year, havens for wildlife and critical buffers for communities threatened by increasingly severe wildfire seasons," Hicks said. Roadless areas are sources of clean water and some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities on the planet, Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, an environmental organization focusing on the care and recovery of rivers, said in a statement to ABC News. "Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the Forest Service, once described conservation as 'the application of common sense to common problems for the common good,'" Wood said. "Let's hope common sense prevails and the Administration reconsiders its proposal." Vera Smith, director of the national forests and public lands program at Defenders of Wildlife, detailed the repeal as "taking a blowtorch" to the landmark rule that has shielded nearly 60 million acres of national forests from the serious impacts of development. "America's roadless forests are crucial strongholds for wildlife, including at-risk species that are battling extinction," Smith said. "Sec. Rollins' boon to industry is yet another punishing blow to the American people and the wildlife and wild places we all hold dear." The repeal of the Roadless Rule aligns with Trump's deregulation agenda, according to the USDA. The action will also allow more decisions to be made at the local level, the USDA said. In March, Trump announced an executive order for the expansion of timber production in the U.S., stating that the production of timber is "essential" for crucial activities such as construction and energy production. "Once again, President Trump is removing absurd obstacles to common sense management of our natural resources by rescinding the overly restrictive roadless rule," Rollins said. "This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation's forests. It is abundantly clear that properly managing our forests preserves them from devastating fires and allows future generations of Americans to enjoy and reap the benefits of this great land." A formal notice of the rollback will be issued in the coming weeks, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The move will be met with resistance by environmental organizations. "We will stand for America's national forests and the wildlife that depend on them," Caputo said. "If the Trump administration actually revokes the roadless rule, we'll see them in court."
