In short, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which contains the Forest Service for historical reasons, wants to eliminate safeguards for almost 45 million acres of roadless national forest lands. Local managers could approve new roads – it’s not automatic – and potentially expand access for logging, mining, and oil and gas development. The implications go well beyond road construction. The change could worsen an already staggering road-maintenance backlog, for example, and fragment wildlife habitat, degrade water quality, and increase pressure on wildlife and fish populations.