ACTION NEEDED TODAY, December 1st, to preserve roadless areas!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 2, the proposed Roadless Area Conservation Act (S. 2042) will receive a hearing before the Senate Energy Natural Resources Subcommittee. US Agriculture Secretary Rollins is working to repeal the Roadless Rule that protects almost 60 million acres of our National Forest System, much of which could be eligible for future Wilderness designation. S. 2042 would essentially enact the Roadless Rule into legislation, effectively defeating efforts to repeal the Rule. So, please take a moment TODAY to phone Senator Hickenlooper (202) 224-3121 and tell him you support the bill. In addition to calling, you may email Senator Hickenlooper here, but please call, too. Vote outside Colorado? Here’s the list of Senators on the committee. 

What’s the difference between roadless areas and Wilderness Areas? Congressionally designated Wilderness Areas - like Eagles Nest, Holy Cross, Flat Tops, and Ptarmigan Peak – are established by Acts of Congress under the 1964 Wilderness Act and receive the government’s highest level of land protection. There are now approximately 111 million acres of congressionally-designated Wilderness in the United States, 52% of which are in Alaska.

In 2001, the Clinton Administration adopted what is called the “Roadless Rule” under which 58 million acres of additional National Forest land were protected from almost all logging, roadbuilding, and mineral leasing. These areas were among the wildest remaining undeveloped public lands in the country, many of which border Wilderness Areas or are candidates themselves for Wilderness designation under the 1964 Wilderness Act.  

In 2008, the Roadless Rule was amended with respect to some land in Idaho to allow limited development. In 2016, the Roadless Rule was again amended with respect to some land in Colorado to allow limited development. See Parts C and D of the Roadless Rule.  

On August 29, 2025, the Department of Agriculture published its Notice of Intent to repeal the Roadless Rule, except in Idaho and Colorado.  This would open approximately 44.7 million acres in the National Forest System outside of Idaho and Colorado to road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting.

Public comments on the proposed repeal were due on September 19, 2025. Even though Colorado is not directly affected for now, ESWA submitted comments along with a multitude of other conservation groups opposing the repeal of the Roadless Rule. The Agricultural Department is expected to finalize its proposed repeal of the Roadless Rule in late 2026. 

Anticipating such repeal, Senator Hickenlooper introduced the Roadless Area Conservation Act to essentially enact the Roadless Rule into legislation, effectively defeating the Agriculture Department’s effort to repeal it.