The recission would eliminate a 2001 moratorium on logging and roadbuilding in designated acreage of national forests, including Pisgah and Nantahala. While North Carolina’s roadless forests account for only 1% of all such areas nationwide, they’re home to diverse ecosystems that sustain a variety of endangered species and supply drinking water to 2 million people statewide.

The Trump administration announced a notice of intent for the recission in late August 2025, garnering opposition from 99% of the 625,930 commenters, despite an unusually short period — just over two weeks — of open public comment.

The administration first dissolved the Council on Environmental Quality, responsible for soliciting public opinion, as a part of a host of changes to the National Environmental Policy Act. Consequently, while the United States Department of Agriculture still must draft an environmental impact statement and finalize the recission, the process is already slimmer and less regulated than during the Biden era.

But not only is the rule significantly opposed, it’s also costly, with next to zero human benefits. Experts say it’s expensive to build roads in roadless areas; they’re roadless for a reason, often because of terrain or landscape. Roadbuilding would also increase the risk of manmade natural disasters.

After all, according to Southern Environmental Law Center Senior Attorney Sam Evans, “the number one risk for wildfire ignition is proximity to roads.” 

The Roadless Rule wins the “Hold my beer” award for its role in demonstrating just how little the president cares about public opinion. Likely, 2026 will bring more opportunities for the Trump administration to prove it cares even less.