The push to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule is led by a coalition of federal officials, Western state governors and attorneys general, industrial trade associations, and aligned federal lawmakers. This page identifies the most prominent figures and groups in that coalition, with attention to their backgrounds and stated positions.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
As head of the USDA, Rollins is the primary federal architect of the 2025 rescission. Her background is rooted in conservative policy and deregulation. Before joining the cabinet, she served as President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute and led the Texas Public Policy Foundation — both organizations known for advocating deregulation of natural resources and opposing federal land protections. Rollins has publicly described the Roadless Rule as a "misguided" Clinton-era restriction that prevents common-sense management, and has framed rescission as removing federal barriers to economic activity in rural communities.
Chief of the U.S. Forest Service
Schultz's 2025 appointment signaled a shift toward "active management" within the Forest Service. Unlike some predecessors who rose through the agency's career ranks, Schultz comes from the private sector. He previously served as Vice President of Resources for the Idaho Forest Group, one of the largest lumber producers in the Rocky Mountains, and earlier directed the Idaho Department of Lands, where he oversaw state-level timber sales and mineral leasing. Schultz has described the Roadless Rule as having "trapped" roadless areas in a "cycle of neglect" and frames rescission as a way to supply raw materials to the forest products industry while addressing wildfire risk.
Executive Orders 14154, 14225, 14192
The rescission proceeds under executive direction from three orders: Executive Order 14154 ("Unleashing American Energy"), Executive Order 14225 ("Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production"), and Executive Order 14192 ("Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation"). The Notice of Intent for the rescission cites all three. The orders direct federal agencies to produce energy, mineral, and timber resources from federal lands "to the maximum possible extent."
Governor of Utah
Cox has long been a leading critic of the 2001 Roadless Rule, which he characterizes as a "backdoor" wilderness designation that bypasses state input. In early 2026, Cox signed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service intended to accelerate timber sales and mechanical thinning on federal land in Utah. He argues that Utah knows its land better than federal officials in Washington and that the state can manage forests "side-by-side" with federal partners.
Governor of Montana
Gianforte has made "active forest management" a centerpiece of his administration. In June 2025, he signed a Shared Stewardship Agreement with Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz that identified millions of acres of federal forest — much of it currently protected as roadless area — for "priority treatments." He cites Montana's Forest Action Plan, which identifies 60 percent of the state's forests as being at high risk for wildfire or infestation, and argues that roadless protections threaten rural livelihoods.
Governor of Alaska
Dunleavy's focus is the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States and the area most affected by Roadless Rule application in Alaska. He has pursued legal and budgetary paths to ensure the 2025 rescission includes language permanently exempting Alaska from the rule. He frames the rule as an economic blockade that prevents construction of basic infrastructure — power lines for hydropower, roads for mineral exploration — that he argues are essential for the state's economy.
Governor of Idaho
Idaho already operates under a state-specific roadless rule less restrictive than the 2001 federal rule. Governor Little supports the national rescission to provide additional flexibility for energy and infrastructure projects. In February 2026, Little partnered with the Trump administration to fast-track permitting for energy and infrastructure projects on federal lands. He has described the federal rule's complexity as creating "permitting purgatory" that blocks grid improvements and restoration projects.
Governor of Wyoming
Gordon has framed the rescission as a "return to sanity" for public land management. He issued an Executive Order in 2025 specifically aimed at increasing "active forest management" in Wyoming, intended as a state policy framework for when federal roadless protections are lifted. He emphasizes the multiple-use mandate of the National Forest Management Act, arguing that the Roadless Rule ignores the legal requirement for federal lands to support industry alongside conservation.
U.S. Representative, Montana
Zinke is a former U.S. Secretary of the Interior who used that role to open millions of acres of public land to oil, gas, and mining leases. He frequently invokes the "Teddy Roosevelt" tradition of conservation while emphasizing "multiple use" and "energy dominance." He has argued that many "roadless" areas already contain old tracks and should be opened to streamline energy and forestry leases. Zinke has received campaign support from mining and energy political committees throughout his career.
U.S. Senator, Alaska
Sullivan is the most focused federal lawmaker on the rescission because of its impact on the Tongass National Forest. He has framed federal protections as "paternalism" that prevents Alaska from developing its economy, and has argued the Roadless Rule has "crushed" working families by blocking hydropower projects, mineral development, and timber harvesting. Sullivan's position has been supported by the Alaska Forest Association and the state's mining industry.
U.S. Representative, California
LaMalfa represents a Northern California district frequently affected by major wildfires and is the lead voice in the House for rescission. A farmer by trade, LaMalfa has a long history of alignment with timber and agriculture industries and is a frequent critic of federal environmental regulations he believes increase wildfire risk. His primary argument is wildfire safety: without roads, he argues, mechanical thinning to protect rural communities is impossible.
The principal industrial associations advocating for rescission are the American Forest Resource Council, the American Loggers Council, and various mining and energy trade groups. These organizations provide policy advocacy, public-facing communications, and coordinated support for the federal and state actions described above.
Want to see the arguments this coalition makes? See the case for rescission →
Want to see those arguments evaluated against the research? See the counterargument ledger →