American Rivers Warns Administration’s Efforts to Rollback Roadless Rule Will Jeopardize Hunting and Fishing Opportunities, Harm Drinking Water Supply 

Contact: Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org 

WASHINGTON D.C. – More than a month after the Trump administration first announced it would seek to roll back the Roadless Rule, the public will have an opportunity to voice its opinion on the proposal. For nearly 25 years, the Roadless Rule protected a key source of clean drinking water — our national forest lands — by preventing road construction and large-scale logging on 58.5 million acres.

The public comment period will run for three weeks, starting Friday, August 29, 2025, through September 19, 2025.   

“The sheer magnitude of the protection the Roadless Rule provides for public lands and clean, safe, reliable drinking water supplies makes its proposed rollback unthinkable. This rule safeguards millions of acres of forest from being carved up, developed, and put at greater risk from catastrophic wildfire and preserves nearly 130,000 miles of healthy rivers across the nation,” said David Moryc, senior director of river protection for American Rivers. “The millions of Americans who depend on these forests for their clean water, along with anglers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts, should be appalled at this proposal and make their voices of opposition heard.”

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American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 4.4 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. AmericanRivers.org