Administration pushes rollback of Clinton-era roadless protections on U.S. national forests

The Forest Service filed a proposal to rescind the 2001 roadless rule, returning authority to local forest managers and potentially allowing development on about 59 million acres (roughly 30% of national forest lands). Officials say the move would improve forest health and wildfire management, but critics warn it could harm old-growth forests, wildlife and water supplies; public comments are due by Sept. 21.