To provide that the final rule titled "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation" and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7695
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-21: Subcommittee Hearings Held
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-27T08:05:56Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill aims to eliminate the 2001 "Roadless Rule," which restricted road construction and timber harvesting in certain undeveloped areas of national forests, and to mandate the building of specific roads on National Forest System lands to support forest management activities like restoration and fire prevention.
Key Provisions
- Nullification of the Roadless Rule: The 2001 final rule by the Department of Agriculture, titled "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation" (published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001), is declared to have no legal force or effect.
- Prohibition on Similar Rules: The Secretary of Agriculture is barred from proposing, finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing any new rule that is substantially similar to the nullified 2001 rule.
- Mandatory Road Construction: The Secretary of Agriculture, through the Chief of the Forest Service, must build permanent and temporary roads on National Forest System lands as needed for:
- Forest Service restoration activities (e.g., repairing damaged ecosystems).
- Hazardous fuels reduction (reducing wildfire risks) in at-risk communities, wildland-urban interfaces (areas where human development meets wildlands), or municipal watersheds (areas providing drinking water to cities).
- Replacing or decommissioning (closing or removing) existing permanent roads that harm forest health, rangelands, or watersheds.
- Fulfilling the goals of the 1897 Organic Act, which established national forests primarily for conserving water flows and timber supplies.
- All road construction must comply with environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires assessments of potential environmental impacts before federal actions.
- Definitions:
- "At-risk community" and "wildland-urban interface" are defined as in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (areas vulnerable to wildfires due to proximity to forests).
- "National Forest System" refers to all national forests, grasslands, and related lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, as defined in the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Overturns the 2001 Roadless Rule, which had protected about 58 million acres of inventoried roadless areas (undeveloped forest lands) from new road building and most logging, treating it as if it never existed.
- Removes federal restrictions on road development in these areas, shifting authority back toward discretionary management by the Forest Service.
- Introduces a requirement for proactive road building tied to specific management needs, contrasting with prior policies that generally limited new roads to preserve wilderness-like conditions.
- Explicitly prevents future administrations from reinstating similar nationwide protections without congressional approval.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The U.S. Forest Service (under the Department of Agriculture) will gain flexibility in road building but face new mandates, potentially increasing workload and costs for construction, maintenance, and NEPA compliance. This could streamline wildfire prevention and restoration but complicate long-term forest planning.
- On Citizens: Communities near national forests, especially in wildfire-prone areas, may benefit from reduced fire risks through better access for fuels reduction. However, increased road access could lead to more recreational use, habitat disruption, or water quality issues, affecting local residents, hikers, and those relying on clean watersheds.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could influence U.S. commitments to global biodiversity or climate goals by allowing more development in carbon-storing forests.
- Broader environmental effects might include easier access for logging or mining, potentially altering ecosystems, while enabling faster emergency responses to disasters like wildfires.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Forest Service and Department of Agriculture: Directly responsible for implementing road construction and complying with the bill's mandates.
- Environmental and Conservation Groups: Likely opposed, as the bill reduces protections for roadless areas, which they view as vital for biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and clean water.
- Timber, Mining, and Recreation Industries: Potentially benefited by easier access to forest resources and lands for operations or activities.
- Local Communities and States: At-risk areas (e.g., Western states with wildland-urban interfaces) may see improved fire safety, but rural economies dependent on tourism or hunting could face changes from altered landscapes.
- Indigenous Tribes: Could be impacted if road building affects traditional lands or sacred sites within national forests.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill could invite lawsuits under NEPA or the Endangered Species Act if road projects harm protected resources, as it requires environmental reviews but removes overarching roadless protections. It may also face challenges for retroactively nullifying an administrative rule without addressing its scientific basis.
- Constitutional: Raises questions about separation of powers, as Congress is overriding an executive branch regulation; however, this is within Congress's authority to regulate federal lands under the Property Clause of the Constitution (Article IV, Section 3), which gives Congress control over territories.
- Political: Represents a policy shift toward active forest management over preservation, aligning with priorities for economic development and wildfire mitigation but potentially polarizing debates on public lands use. As a bipartisan referral to Agriculture and Natural Resources Committees, it signals congressional intent to influence executive environmental rulemaking.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2], Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8], Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-21: Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 2026-05-12: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
- 2026-02-25: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-02-25: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-02-25: Introduced in House
- 2026-02-25: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To provide that the final rule titled "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation" and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes. — issued 2026-02-25 — PDF (3 pages)