Trump Opens 44M Forest Acres to Logging

"For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities," Rollins said in a statement. She said the proposal restores authority to local forest managers.

"Our forests can't afford another decade of inaction," Rollins added. "Across the country, we've watched preventable conditions — overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease — turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes."

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, backed the move: "Proper management includes an opportunity to keep our forests healthy and less prone to fire dangers. Wyoming has demonstrated our commitment to sensible stewardship."

Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen said the rule has "kept our wildest forests intact" for 25 years and accused the administration of wanting to "open up 45 million acres of roadless forest to clear-cutting and other harmful development enabled by roading." Earthjustice has defended the rule in court for a quarter century and says it will keep doing so.

Chris Krupp, an attorney with WildEarth Guardians, said Americans "across the political spectrum have made it crystal clear that they don't want political appointees removing protections from public lands."

Sierra Club forest campaign manager Alex Craven disputed the wildfire argument, saying more roads would lead to more fires and that the rule never stopped the Forest Service from doing targeted fuel-reduction work. He vowed his group would fight the proposal at every step.