Reps. Salinas and Ansari React to White House Repeal of the Roadless Rule

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) responded to the Trump Administration’s decision to move forward with its repeal of the Roadless Rule. For a quarter century, the Roadless Rule has protected 58.5 million acres of treasured forestland within the National Forest System. The lawmakers previously introduced the Roadless Area Conservation Act to codify these protections into law.

Rep. Salinas issued the following statement:

“I am deeply disappointed that the Trump Administration is moving forward with repealing the Roadless Rule. I have consistently advocated for the protection of our nation's most pristine lands. Together with my colleagues, I have introduced the Roadless Area Conservation Act to codify the rule into law, I have led letters to the Administration at each step of this process urging them to reverse course before it is too late, and I have questioned senior leaders at USDA during committee hearings about the flawed assumptions underlying this misguided repeal. 

“The Administration claims this is about wildfire management. The Forest Service’s own analysis shows that roads increase the risk of fire by increasing human-caused ignitions. In fact, the rule poses no threat to responsible wildfire management. Nearly 2 million acres of roadless areas have undergone fuel treatments in recent years.

“Before the Roadless Rule, these forests and the surrounding communities were at risk of encroaching industrial logging, which threatened habitat loss and degraded clean water. Logging roads are not designed to create access for firefighters. They are designed to reach timber that had never before been accessible, and in the process, they fragment ecosystems and threaten communities. 

“New roads are not a magic bullet to fix the wildfire crisis. We need federal lands management agencies to focus on responsible forest management, but instead, the Trump Administration has cut 16 percent of the Forest Service’s staff, prioritized disruptive reorganization plans at critical wildfire agencies without congressional approval, and treated 25 percent fewer acres for hazardous fuels in 2025 compared to 2024. 

“Instead of wiping out critical environmental protections, the Administration should refocus on what works and reinvest in the workforce that gets it done. I will continue to use every tool at my disposal to fight this reckless and dangerous decision.”

Rep. Ansari responded to the announcement:

“This move by the Trump Administration is another sellout of our public lands to corporate interests. Our national forests are among Arizona's greatest treasures. They provide clean air and water and give families a recreational escape to enjoy the outdoors. This decision is catastrophic and should be immediately undone.” 

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