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HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen celebrated the recent announcement from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) Brooke Rollins that the federal government is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule, removing “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.”
According to the USDA announcement, nearly 60 percent of Montana’s National Forest System lands are restricted from road development and, therefore, cannot be properly managed for fire risk.
“Finally, Washington is doing the right thing for our Montana forests–getting government bureaucracy out of the way,” said Secretary Jacobsen, who serves as a member of the Montana Land Board. “Let’s log and manage our forests instead of watching them burn! Thank you to Secretary Rollins and President Trump for promoting commonsense solutions to protect our beautiful state.”
“Once again, President Trump is removing absurd obstacles to commonsense management of our natural resources by rescinding the overly restrictive roadless rule,” Secretary Rollins stated in a release. “This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability of our nation’s forests.”
Secretary Jacobsen praised the announcement on social media, where numerous Montanans embraced the news.
According to the USDA, nearly half of the 58-plus million acres covered under the “roadless rule” lie in areas at “high or very high risk of wildfire.” “Montana is home to some of the most beautiful national forests in the country, and I join all Montanans in thanking President Trump’s administration for ensuring it remains that way,” said Secretary Jacobsen.