Washington pushes back against national forest development plan
Sep 22, 2025, 2:31 PM | Updated: 2:56 pm
The sun peaks through the trees in the forest in Washington. (Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
(Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
A coalition of eight states, led by Washington and California, is urging the U.S. Forest Service to drop its plan to repeal the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects 45 million acres of national forest from development.
The nearly 25-year-old rule limits roadbuilding and logging in undeveloped forests, according to KOMO News.
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Critics, including Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, warn that removing protections could harm ecosystems, increase wildfire risk, and threaten local economies. The outdoor industry, which contributed $1.2 trillion nationally in 2023, depends heavily on access to these areas. In Washington alone, forest recreation generates nearly $1 billion annually.
The Forest Service is moving ahead with the repeal, despite a $6 billion backlog in road maintenance. States joining the opposition include Arizona, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.
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