HR3930-119

What This Bill Does

The Roadless Area Conservation Act turns the existing Roadless Rule protections for inventoried roadless areas into a statutory prohibition. Congress states that roadless areas protect healthy watersheds, drinking water for tens of millions of people, fish and wildlife habitat, backcountry hunting and fishing, outdoor recreation, sacred Native sites, and relatively undisturbed landscapes that reduce downstream filtration costs and limit fragmentation. The operative rule is simple: the Agriculture Secretary, acting through the Forest Service, may not allow road construction, road reconstruction, or logging in an inventoried roadless area where those activities are prohibited by the Roadless Rule. The bill defines the Roadless Rule as part 294 of title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations as adopted in 2001 and modified for Idaho in 2008 and Colorado in 2012 and 2016. It does not create a new grant program; it hardens existing roadless-area restrictions against administrative rollback.

Who Benefits and How

National Forest roadless areas benefit because existing restrictions on road construction, reconstruction, and logging become statutory protections. Downstream drinking water users benefit from watershed protection that can reduce filtration costs and preserve clean water supply. Outdoor recreation users benefit from preserved backcountry settings for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, skiing, canoeing, and wildlife viewing. Native communities with sacred sites benefit from continued protection of roadless areas used for spiritual, religious, customary, or traditional activities. Wildlife habitat advocates benefit from reduced landscape fragmentation and protection of biological refuges.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Forest Service land managers lose discretion to allow covered roads or logging where the Roadless Rule prohibits them. Timber companies face continued restrictions on logging in inventoried roadless areas. Road construction contractors lose potential projects in protected roadless areas. Local governments seeking road access through roadless areas face a statutory barrier where the rule prohibits construction.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits road construction in inventoried roadless areas where the Roadless Rule bars it.
• Prohibits road reconstruction in inventoried roadless areas where the Roadless Rule bars it.
• Prohibits logging in inventoried roadless areas where the Roadless Rule bars it.
• Defines the Roadless Rule to include the 2001 rule and Idaho or Colorado modifications.