# Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation

**Action Urgency Score:** 45/100

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | Agriculture Department; Forest Service |
| Type | Proposed rule |
| Action | Proposed rule; request for public comment. |
| Published | 2026-08-20 |
| Comments close | 2026-09-21 |
| Significant | Yes (EO 12866) |
| CFR parts | 36 CFR 294 |
| Summary | The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or Department) is proposing to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (2001 Roadless Rule), which established broad prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting within inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands. The intent of this proposed action is to reduce regulatory burden and return decisionmaking for the management of inventoried roadless areas to the land management planning process at the individual national forest level. Rescission of the national-level prohibitions provides responsible |
| Document number | 2026-16965 |

## Why this score
- Significant rule under EO 12866.

Source: Federal Register API (Office of the Federal Register) (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/20/2026-16965/special-areas-roadless-area-conservation). Last refreshed: 2026-11-04T09:17:43.641Z.
Data from the Federal Register API; the published Federal Register document is authoritative. Informational only, not legal advice.