Trump moves to roll back protections for 4,000 acres of National Forest in Texas from logging, oil activity

The Trump White House is expected to post a "notice of intent" in the Federal Register this week to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, potentially opening 58.5 million acres of wild areas, including 4,000 in Texas, to industrial logging and development. All 4,000 of Texas' protected areas are in the Sam Houston National Forest north of Houston, which includes the popular Big Creek Scenic Area hiking, camping and fishing destination, according to environmental groups. The removal of the Roadless Rule would pave the way not just for logging in National Forest wild lands, but also further road development and increased oil-and-gas production activity. “Texas’s wild forests are essential and beloved public lands and the Forest Service should not open them up to roads and development," Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger said.