New Mexico delegation urges exclusion from Trump administration’s roadless rule rollback

by NM Political Report  

New Mexico’s congressional delegation is demanding the Trump administration exclude the state from efforts to rescind federal protections for roadless areas in national forests, citing economic and safety concerns.
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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led the effort alongside Sen. Ben Ray Luján and Reps. Melanie Stansbury, Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

We are concerned that rolling back this rule would hurt our state’s economy, diminish its wildlife, and endanger its residents,” the lawmakers wrote.
The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects nearly 1.6 million acres of national forest land in New Mexico from new permanent road construction. The rule was developed after decades of debate, more than 600 public meetings and 1.6 million public comments, according to a press release.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation generates $3.2 billion annually in New Mexico and supports nearly 30,000 jobs. The lawmakers argued that many visitors specifically seek out the state for backcountry activities that would be diminished by new road construction.
The delegation also highlighted wildfire risks, noting that New Mexico has a higher wildfire risk profile than 82% of the United States. Multiple federal studies have confirmed that wildfires are less likely to ignite in roadless areas, they said.
“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 letter stated.
The lawmakers noted that roads also damage wildlife habitat and are associated with higher mortality rates and lower reproduction among species, including deer, elk, black bears and bighorn sheep.
Heinrich gave a floor speech last week, criticizing the administration’s efforts and encouraging public participation in the comment process.