Heinrich, N.M. Delegation Demand Trump Administration Omit New Mexico from Roadless Rule Rescission

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins demanding that the Trump Administration exclude New Mexico from its effort to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.  

“As the elected representatives in the United States Congress for New Mexico, we write to request that our state be excluded from the current effort to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule,” the lawmakers wrote. “The Roadless Rule affects nearly 1.6 million acres of the National Forest System in New Mexico, protecting them from new permanent road construction and preserving them for outdoor recreation enthusiasts.” 

“According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the outdoor recreation economy generates $3.2 billion in New Mexico and supports nearly 30,000 jobs. Many of these outdoor enthusiasts specifically seek out our state due to its extraordinary opportunities for unconfined, backcountry activities. Diminishing these opportunities likely would have a profound negative impact on the state’s economic future,” the lawmakers noted.  

Highlighting the direct impact the Roadless Rule may have on wildfires and public safety, the lawmakers wrote, “New Mexico is particularly vulnerable to wildfire, with a risk profile higher than 82% of the United States. Multiple studies, including those conducted by the federal government, have confirmed that wildfires are much less likely to ignite in roadless areas. The Administration’s goal of faster deployment of suppression resources must be compared against the reality that more fires will ignite when roads are added.”  

The lawmakers concluded the letter, “We therefore request that any rule seeking to rescind the Roadless Rule nationwide nevertheless preserve these management guidelines within our state.” 

In a floor speech last week, Ranking Member Heinrich blasted the Trump Administration’s efforts to undo the Roadless Rule and called on the public to engage in the public comment process on this attack on America’s hunting and fishing heritage. 

Read the full letter here and below:  

Dear Secretary Rollins:  

As the elected representatives in the United States Congress for New Mexico, we write to request that our state be excluded from the current effort to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The Roadless Rule affects nearly 1.6 million acres of the National Forest System in New Mexico, protecting them from new permanent road construction and preserving them for outdoor recreation enthusiasts. It was the result of a vigorous debate over the course of decades, more than 600 public meetings during its development, and 1.6 million public comments. We are concerned that rolling back this rule would hurt our state’s economy, diminish its wildlife, and endanger its residents.  

The principal purpose of designating portions of the National Forest System as roadless is to manage them for unconfined recreation (36 C.F.R. 294.1(a)). According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the outdoor recreation economy generates $3.2 billion in New Mexico and supports nearly 30,000 jobs. Many of these outdoor enthusiasts specifically seek out our state due to its extraordinary opportunities for unconfined, backcountry activities. Diminishing these opportunities likely would have a profound negative impact on the state’s economic future. Roads also damage the habitat for many species of wildlife prized by sportsmen and the recreation community; they lower habitat connectivity and are associated with higher wildlife mortality, lower reproduction rates, and generally lower population viability. Many large mammals’ movements are disrupted by roads and traffic, including deer, elk, black bears, and bighorn sheep. Studies have found that jaguars, which are native to New Mexico, selectively avoid habitat within 2.8 miles from roads. That is why, in 2019, the New Mexico legislature enacted the Wildlife Corridors Act to prioritize areas important for wildlife movement and habitat. Rolling back roadless area status will only impede these efforts to conserve and restore our native species.  

The creation of new roads in unroaded areas also would pose a significant risk to public safety in our state. New Mexico is particularly vulnerable to wildfire, with a risk profile higher than 82% of the United States. Multiple studies, including those conducted by the federal government, have confirmed that wildfires are much less likely to ignite in roadless areas. The administration’s goal of faster deployment of suppressionresources must be compared against the reality that more fires will ignite when roads are added. Additionally, Forest Service research has shown that forest roads are also associated with increased frequency of landslides, especially in post-wildfire environments. Our state recently experienced a federally-declared disaster for flooding and landslides (FEMA Declaration DR-4886-NM) due to the after-effects of the 2024 South Fork and Salt wildfires. Increasing the number of wildfire ignitions and landslides in our state would disproportionately impact poor and rural New Mexicans.  

The National Forest System also supplies nearly half of the surface water in the West, including more than 75 percent of the water for Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico Road construction and use, especially in the backcountry, is tightly linked to increase dust and runoff that would threaten these critical watersheds as well as diminish aquatic habitat important for our native fish and amphibians. 

Lastly, we understand that the Forest Service is undertaking this rulemaking in part to support a struggling timber industry. We note that the Roadless Rule already allows for timber harvest if conducted for ecological or wildfire mitigation purposes. In fact, roadless areas represent approximately 21 percent of the forest lands within the National Forest System, but they account for 34 percent of the total fuel treatment activities.  

We strongly believe that the Roadless Rule has had an overall positive impact on New Mexico, from protecting communities from wildfire, promoting a healthy environment, and supporting the outdoor recreation economy. We therefore request that any rule seeking to rescind the Roadless Rule nationwide nevertheless preserve these management guidelines within our state.