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HR 7695

To provide that the final rule titled "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation" and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by Troy Downing and 4 co-sponsors

The bill cancels the 2001 roadless rule and requires the Forest Service to build roads on National Forest System lands for restoration, fuels reduction, and watershed health.

Subcommittee Hearings Held
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 7695

Overview

House Bill HR 7695, introduced on February 25, 2026, by Rep. Harriet Hageman with several co-sponsors, seeks to nullify the 2001 final rule known as “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation” and to require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands. The bill would also prohibit actions to propose, finalize, implement, administer, or enforce a rule substantially similar to the 2001 roadless rule.

Main purpose and intent

  • Nullify the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation rule (66 Fed. Reg. 3244, January 12, 2001).
  • Prohibit the USDA from taking steps to adopt a rule substantially similar to the 2001 roadless rule.
  • Mandate the construction of roads on National Forest System lands by the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Chief of the Forest Service, for specified purposes related to forest restoration, hazardous fuels reduction, and addressing watershed and forest health needs.

Key provisions and changes

  1. Roadless Rule Nullification

    • The final rule titled “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation” shall have no force or effect.
    • The Secretary of Agriculture may not take any action to propose, finalize, implement, administer, or enforce any rule substantially similar to the 2001 roadless rule.

  2. Mandatory Road Construction on National Forest System Lands

    • The Secretary of Agriculture, via the Chief of the Forest Service, must construct permanent and temporary roads on National Forest System lands as deemed necessary by the Secretary.
    • Purposes for road construction include:
      • Carrying out forest restoration activities.
      • Carrying out hazardous fuels reduction activities in at-risk communities, the wildland-urban interface, or municipal watersheds.
      • Replacing or decommissioning existing permanent roads that negatively affect forest, rangeland, or watershed health.
      • Implementing the intent of the 1897 Forest Reserve Act provisions (16 U.S.C. 473–482, 551).

  3. Definitions (Section 1(c))

    • “At-risk community” and “wildland-urban interface” definitions align with those in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).
    • “National Forest System” follows the definition in the Forest and Range land Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609).

Who would be affected

  • The USDA and the Forest Service would be central implementing agencies, with new authority and a duty to construct specified roads on National Forest System lands.
  • Provisions directly impact federal land-use policy regarding roadless protections, potentially altering preservation and conservation practices in National Forests.
  • Communities described as “at-risk” or within the wildland-urban interface, along with municipal watersheds, could be targeted for road construction related to restoration, fuels reduction, and watershed health.
  • Stakeholders in conservation and environmental protection groups may be affected by increased road construction and reduced regulatory authority over roadless areas.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Introduced February 25, 2026; referred to the Committee on Agriculture and, in addition, to the Committee on Natural Resources. Subcommittee hearings occurred May 21, 2026, with prior referral actions on May 12 and February 25, 2026.
  • The bill both nullifies a federal rule and imposes affirmative construction requirements, creating a direct, statutory mandate for road-building activities subject to applicable environmental reviews (including the National Environmental Policy Act).
  • No explicit sunset or termination date is provided in the text; changes would persist unless further legislative action repeals or amends them.

Notable considerations

  • Environmental review process: The road construction mandate would still require compliance with environmental laws (e.g., NEPA), potentially affecting the scope and location of road projects.
  • Balance of interests: The bill shifts emphasis from roadless protections toward active road development for restoration, fuels reduction, and watershed health, which may be contested by conservation advocates.
  • Legal and fiscal implications: The mandatory road-building program implies federal funding and ongoing maintenance obligations, with fiscal requirements to be determined through appropriation processes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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