Trump paves way for massive deforestation by ending Clinton-era rule
Washington DC - President Donald Trump's administration has paved the way for massive deforestation in the US by ending Clinton-era rules that protected more than 58 million acres of national forest.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Monday announced plans to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule, effectively opening up about 58 million acres of national forest to logging.
The rule was enacted by President Bill Clinton in January 2001 and created wilderness protections for vast amounts of the US' national parks, blocking construction and development in those areas.
Rollins labeled the rule a "failed policy" and vowed to take action to make the logging and development of such land easier in the future, while "freeing our foresters to manage our forests, protect watersheds, and prevent wildfire."
"Under [Trump], we're restoring forest health, boosting our timber farmers, and backing our firefighters!" Rollins said in a Monday post on X.
In a statement released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the 2001 Roadless Rule was labeled "outdated" and "overly restrictive."
"This rule is overly restrictive and poses real harm to millions of acres of our national forests," the USDA claimed. "This also hurts jobs and economic development across rural America."
Trump administration moves to remove environmental regulations
The decision follows Trump's "Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation" executive order, which he signed in January. It orders government agencies to review and reduce regulatory "burdens."
In a statement cited by the USDA, Rollins said that Trump is "removing absurd obstacles to common sense management" of the US' forests and reducing restrictive rules on the building of roads.
"It is abundantly clear that properly managing our forests preserves them from devastating fires and allows future generations of Americans to enjoy and reap the benefits of this great land."
Cover photo: IMAGO/Connect Images