U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the intent to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule for the country’s national forests including the Chattahoochee.
That rule established prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction and timber harvests on nearly 60 million acres of national forests and grasslands. Today, the 2001 Roadless Rule pertains to nearly 45 million acres of national forests and grasslands.
The proposed rescission includes about a dozen sites in the Chattahoochee.
“As a multi-use land management agency, our decisions are made considering interrelated issues of ecology, the economy, laws and culture,” a USDA news release says. “The goal is to make the best decisions at the local level so that forests stay healthy and can meet today’s needs and continue providing benefits long into the future.”
The public has until Sept. 19 to comment on the proposal.