The Trump administration took action Tuesday to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule, which has restricted road construction and commercial logging across large portions of the National Forest System.

The U.S. Forest Service filed the proposal to eliminate protections affecting 44 million acres. Officials said the move would allow local forest managers greater flexibility in addressing wildfire risks through thinning and other active management practices.

The Roadless Rule, established during the Clinton administration, barred new roads and most timber harvesting in inventoried roadless areas. Supporters of the repeal argue that the restrictions have hindered effective forest health initiatives and contributed to overgrown conditions that fuel large fires.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins submitted the proposal, stating that local expertise should guide decisions on public lands rather than one-size-fits-all federal mandates. The administration has emphasized economic benefits for rural communities through expanded timber production and job creation in the forest products sector.

The proposal follows earlier steps by the administration to increase logging on federal lands. Critics from environmental groups have voiced opposition, but the policy aligns with longstanding conservative priorities for multiple-use management of public resources.

Public comments will be accepted during the rulemaking process. The change would apply to national forests nationwide, with particular impacts in western states where roadless areas are extensive.

Administration officials maintain that rescinding the rule does not eliminate all environmental safeguards and that existing laws on water quality and endangered species will remain in effect.