This roadless area of Maine could lose federal protections

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 4, 2026

Maine’s only inventoried roadless area could lose its federal protections under a proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the public has until Sept. 21 to weigh in. The roughly 6,000-acre tract is part of the White Mountain National Forest in western Maine, surrounding the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness. Adopted in 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule generally prohibits new road construction and limits certain timber harvesting within designated areas. On Aug. 20, the USDA proposed rescinding the regulation nationwide, potentially affecting more than 44 million acres of National Forest System land across 37 states.