The Trump administration wants to roll back the 2001 Roadless Rule, which protects wild areas in national forests including in Pennsylvania, saying it will get rid of unneeded regulations, but critics say the change will undo the environmental gains that have been made and compromise a critical resource.
Allegheny National Forest covers about a half million acres in Elk, McKean, Warren and Forrest counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. It's the only national forest in Pennsylvania.
Stephanie Wein, the clean water and conservation advocate at the environmental organization PennEnvironment, said 95% of the Allegheny National Forest is already open to logging, drilling and roads. It’s the other 5% — 25,000 protected acres — that would be affected by the rule change. Wein said that includes places like the Hearts Content Scenic Area.
“It's this beautiful place out of time. It's a centuries-old stand of white pine, hemlock and beech trees. This is the sort of place protected by the roadless rule," she said. "So this small remaining segment of our national forest left wild — that people love to hunt and to fish and to hike in — could be opened to commercial-scale roads and the activities they allow.”
The proposed rule change comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It would impact nearly 45 million acres across the country. The rule protects roadless areas from new road construction and prohibits commercial logging. Supporters say the change will mean better, local forest management.
Republican Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, whose 15th district includes the Allegheny forest, supports rescinding the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which President Bill Clinton enacted in 2001.
In a statement, a spokeswoman said Thompson "supports the effort to restore forest health and resilience by rescinding the roadless rule, which will mitigate environmental threats posed by invasive species and wildfires, and ultimately lead to increased production in multi-use forests, such as the Allegheny. Lifting this rule, which was never authorized by Congress, will greatly improve land access for forest management activities in the areas that need it most.”
But opponents say the rule change will compromise the wild forests, recreational areas and wildlife. Roadless areas are naturally more resilient to fire, Wein said.
“Our roadless areas are something that cut across political lines," Wein said. "People really care about these places and understand the importance of protecting our national heritage.”
The public has until Sept. 19 to submit comments to the USDA.
