Trump to Roll Back Roadless Protections, Opening Millions of Acres of U.S. Forests to Development

The Trump administration announced plans to rescind the Clinton-era Roadless Rule, potentially opening about 45 million acres of national forests to road building, drilling and logging; environmental groups warn this would threaten old-growth habitats and increase wildfire risks, while officials say it will empower local managers to improve forest health and reduce wildfires.