Dutchess County Aims for Savings with Smaller, Smarter, Shared Government Services

Roadless Rule

On August 20, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. The rule prohibits road construction, reconstruction and most timber management on almost 45 million acres of National Forest land, and its repeal would give federal forest managers significant flexibility to manage forests in accordance with local need. 

On August 13, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced it was reopening the nomination process for Resource Advisory Committee (RACs) that direct certain funding from the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. County elected officials are eligible and encouraged to apply to serve on a RAC by November 12, 2026. 

On July 20, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Jouppi v. Alaska (25-246), a case that could affect how state and local governments impose and defend fines and property forfeitures under the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause.