UU Action NH Updates

To our donors from the NH GIVES campaign!

Roadless Conservation Area Rule

The federal government is attempting to dismantle the Roadless Area Conservation Rule and sideline or overrule public input. The Roadless Rule is one of the nation's most important protections for public lands. It protects 240,000 of the 800,000 acres in the White Mountain National Forest where some of the most iconic hiking trails exist. The Roadless Rule established safeguards to protect resources held in trust for all people in the U.S. Roadless areas belong to the public and any decision being made about the rules that protect these areas should involve the public, as occurred when the Roadless Rule was developed in 2001.

UU Action NH has joined with the NH Sierra Club and other state partners to elevate this issue and make people aware that this is not just an environmental issue so that these areas can be protected from mining, logging, and road construction, but also a democratic issue where Granite Staters can take part to defend public lands through their participation in the decision process. Area such as Franconia Notch and Mt. Chocorua will no longer be protected if the Roadless Rule is dismantled.

Please write a letter to your local newspaper and please write an email to your Congressional Representative and NH Senators. Share a personal story as to why the White Mountains are important to you and deserve to be protected.

A sample letter follows:

Whether you are White, Black, Native, or a newcomer in NH, the White Mountains are known as a place of beauty, hiking, skiing, and tranquility. There are scenic trails, winding roads with scenic views, and beautiful landscapes. Not only are the White Mountains frequented by Granite Staters, but by many from New England and outside of New England.

That’s why I am speaking out against the plan by the federal government to do away with the Roadless Conservation Area Rule. This was a landmark policy passed by the U.S. Forest Service in 2001 to protect approximately 58.5 million acres of undeveloped national forest lands from new road construction and commercial logging. It also protected and preserved critical wildlife habitats, clean municipal water sources, and backcountry recreation. In 2025, the U.S. Forest Service decided to do away with the Roadless Rule and to begin the process to make that happen. That would mean that 240,000 acres in the White Mountain National Forest would no longer be protected and would be open to logging and road construction. Franconia Notch and Mt. Chocurua are just two areas that would no longer be protected. Those are areas that my family and I have frequented and enjoyed over many years. There are other areas in jeopardy.

The U.S Forest Service, under the auspices of the federal government, appears to be quietly moving this forward and the Service has not yet offered public hearings so that public opinions can be expressed. However, that does not mean that I cannot express my opinion.

The Roadless Conservation Area Rule should stay in effect and NH’s White Mountains should stay protected from logging and road construction. Wildlife habitats, water sources, and recreation areas should continue to be protected.