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Congress·In Committee·H.R. 7695

Rep. Hageman Pushes to End Protections for Roadless Forest Areas and Build New Access Roads

To provide that the final rule titled "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation" and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.

21 days ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
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Key Points

  • The bill would completely nullify the 2001 Roadless Rule, which has protected roughly 58 million acres of National Forest land from road construction and logging for over two decades. It also permanently bans the government from creating any similar protections in the future.

    From policy text

    “The final rule of the Department of Agriculture titled ``Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation'' and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect.”
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  • The government would not only lose the power to enforce the existing rule — it would be barred from ever proposing or enforcing anything like it again, making this a permanent policy shift.

    From policy text

    “The Secretary of Agriculture may not take any action to propose, finalize, implement, administer, or enforce any rule substantially similar to the rule described in paragraph (1).”
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  • The Forest Service would be required to build new permanent and temporary roads on National Forest lands for wildfire prevention, forest restoration, watershed protection, and replacing old roads that are harming the environment.

    From policy text

    “construct on National Forest System lands such permanent and temporary roads as the Secretary determines necessary--”
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  • Road construction would specifically target at-risk communities, the wildland-urban interface, and municipal watersheds — areas where wildfires and water supply are major concerns for nearby residents.

    From policy text

    “to carry out hazardous fuels reduction activities of the Forest Service in-- (A) an at-risk community; (B) the wildland-urban interface; or (C) a municipal watershed;”
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  • While mandating new road construction, the bill still requires compliance with all existing environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, meaning environmental reviews would still be needed before building.

    From policy text

    “subject to all applicable environmental requirements (including applicable requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.))”
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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 25, 2026House

Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Feb 25, 2026

Introduced in House

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

To provide that the final rule titled "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation" and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.

Bill NumberHR 7695
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(4)
R: 4

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.