U.S. Forest Service

Rule Changes

Affected agency; Forest Highway management-system rules removed from CFR

On December 17, 2025, two FHWA rollbacks took effect that sound boring—and matter anyway. The agency removed the formal, on-the-books requirements that told the Forest Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs how to run safety, bridge, pavement, and congestion management systems for certain federally funded roads.

Updated Yesterday

New Capabilities

Primary U.S. forest carbon data source

American forests have stored more carbon over the past two decades than at any point in the last century. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences identifies what's driving this: forest age accounts for the largest share, locking in 89 million metric tons of carbon annually as trees reach peak growth stages. Climate factors—temperature, precipitation, and elevated carbon dioxide—add another 66 million metric tons per year.

Updated Feb 13