PHILADELPHIA, PA — The U.S. Forest Service proposed eliminating federal road-building and logging restrictions across nearly 45 million acres of national forest, including about 25,000 acres in Pennsylvania, potentially expanding access for timber harvesting and resource extraction.
The proposal would rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which generally prohibits road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting in designated portions of the National Forest System.
Rescission would remove nationwide restrictions but would not authorize specific roads, logging operations or extraction projects. Future activity would remain subject to applicable forest-management plans and project-level reviews.
The Forest Service has argued that the rule limits managers’ ability to reduce wildfire hazards, address insect and disease damage and respond to local forest conditions. Environmental groups dispute that rationale and contend that additional roads could increase human-caused fires while damaging wildlife habitat and water resources.
The proposal anticipates that permanent roads could potentially be constructed across 18.2 million acres and temporary roads across another 11.3 million acres currently covered by the rule, according to Environment America Research & Policy Center and PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center.
The groups cited data showing that fewer than 1% of wildfires in roadless portions of national forests in the lower 48 states since 2010 began in those areas. They warned that new roads could fragment habitats, impede wildlife movement and contribute to water pollution.
PennEnvironment identified Pennsylvania’s roughly 25,000 affected acres as part of the Allegheny National Forest, which covers about half a million acres.
Stephanie Wein, PennEnvironment’s clean water and conservation advocate, argued that most of the Allegheny National Forest is already available for logging, drilling and other extraction.
“With the vast majority of Allegheny National Forest’s half million acres already open for logging, drilling and other extractive uses, it’s critical that our precious roadless areas are protected,” Wein stated.
She identified roadless areas near Hearts Content and Minister Creek as important for scenery, hiking, fishing and wildlife habitat. The forest supports species including the northern goshawk, Eastern hellbender and rare wildflowers, according to PennEnvironment.
The Roadless Rule was adopted in 2001 after 600 public meetings and the submission of about 1.6 million public comments. It has restricted development in inventoried roadless areas for about 25 years.
Public comments on the proposed rescission are due Sept. 21. Environment America and PennEnvironment are directing opponents of the change to submit comments through saveroadlessforests.com.
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