SANTA FE, N.M. • The Trump administration on Monday announced it would repeal a Clinton-era rule on logging in order to improvement forest health and reduce wildfire risk.

The repeal does not affect Colorado. In 1999, Colorado and Idaho received federal approval to be exempt from the policy. Gov. Jared Polis Polis confirmed with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins during Monday’s Western Governors’ Association conference that Colorado would not be affected.

In 1999, former President Bill Clinton signed what’s called the “Roadless Area Conservation Rule,” which inoculated inventoried roadless areas within the national forest system from road construction, road reconstruction and timber harvesting.

Finalized in 2001, the policy covered approximately 58.5 million acres of national forest land.

Criticizing the policy, Rollins said it has led to national forests not being cared for, causing more wildfires and destruction.

“Every year, nearly 100 million trees burn across our national forest, and about half of that land is off limits to common-sense management,” Rollins said. “That’s all because of a regulation implemented almost a quarter century ago, with just one week left in his second term, President Clinton thought it was more important to lock up nearly 60 million acres of your national forest than to protect our communities, protect our drinking water and protect our rural economies.”

Rollins added: “Since this rule was implemented, we’ve seen the forestry industry decimated.”

In repealing the policy, Rollins stated that forests would be managed and American timber production is expected to increase by 25% by 2028.

Speaking to the seven Western governors attending the annual conference in Santa Fe, Rollins also emphasized the Trump administration’s efforts to support rural communities, including initiatives focused on housing and healthcare.

In responding to a question from Polis, Rollins said invasive species issues are also on her radar, especially regarding the screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae infest the wounds of warm-blooded animals, feeding on living tissue. It can cause significant damage and potentially lead to fatal secondary infections if left untreated.

About five weeks ago, Rollins said she was alerted that the screwworm was approximately 700 miles from the Mexican border, noting that this invasive species can decimate livestock production, which she stressed would have a devastating impact on states like Colorado.

Rollins said she shut down the ports and is working closely with Mexico to eradicate it.

Polis also asked about zebra mussels, which have plagued Colorado waterways. Rollins said she was not aware of the issue but would look into it.