In another public land controversy, the Trump administration recently moved to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule. The regulation restricts road development on 44 million acres of national forest land, intended to protect resources like wildlife habitat and clean water. But the rule also discourages forest management to mitigate wildfires, as even some proponents acknowledge. On wildfire grounds, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox welcomed Trump’s repeal, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom denounced it on environmental grounds.
Unfortunately for both states, neither maintaining the nationwide rule nor repeal is likely to be durable. Between 2001 and 2011, presidents and judges variously upheld and struck the original Roadless Rule, and the recent repeal will likely spark more seesawing. But from Utah to California, states have an opportunity to develop their own durable roadless rules tailored to their landscapes.
